The United States has renewed efforts to end Russia’s war against Ukraine, with American, Ukrainian and European officials meeting in Miami on Friday to explore ways to reach a peace deal before winter.
The latest diplomatic move came as US President Donald Trump announced an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin to increase diesel supplies to global markets, highlighting the growing link between the war and rising energy costs.
US envoy Steve Witkoff said the meeting focused on possible ways to reduce tensions and end the conflict, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
In a post on 𝕏 after the meeting, Witkoff described the discussions as “constructive” and said the participants considered ways to achieve lasting peace before winter.
He said the meeting included representatives of the E3 countries, the European Commission, Ukraine, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).
According to Witkoff, the discussions covered energy security, grain exports, security guarantees and long-term arrangements to protect Ukraine and Europe against future conflicts.
He added that the officials also discussed Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction, economic growth and its possible accession to the European Union.
Witkoff did not confirm whether the talks would continue on Saturday, as initially planned.
The renewed negotiations came after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that the failure to reach a diplomatic settlement could lead to further escalation.
Speaking to reporters in Lisbon on Thursday, Rubio said the conflict had reached a dangerous stalemate, with the possibility of the fighting spreading beyond Ukraine.
“The other way that stalemates end is through escalation,” he said, warning that neighbouring NATO countries could also be affected.
Rubio maintained that Washington did not believe it could resolve the conflict through military action alone.
“We do not believe that there is a military solution to this conflict,” he added.
The latest meeting followed visits to Moscow and Kyiv last month by Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, as the US administration sought to revive negotiations that have made little progress.
According to Al Jazeera, a source familiar with the discussions revealed that American negotiators had since been working on fresh proposals with Russian and Ukrainian officials.
Trump’s diplomatic push also coincided with an announcement that Russia would increase diesel supplies to the United States and other global markets.
Following a telephone conversation with Putin on Friday, the US president said Russia would immediately supply more than 300,000 tonnes of diesel, with another 500,000 tonnes expected in November.
The US Treasury Department also announced a temporary licence allowing Russian diesel to reach global markets.
It was not immediately clear whether Trump and Putin discussed the war in Ukraine during their telephone conversation.
Trump has blamed Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries for rising fuel prices. However, the US-Israeli war with Iran has been identified in the report as the main source of disruption to global energy supplies.
European officials have also raised concerns about high energy costs and the conflict’s wider economic effects.
Naija News reports that the renewed diplomatic efforts came amid continued Russian attacks on Ukraine, including a strike on buses in the frontline city of Kramatorsk that killed 30 people.
With winter approaching, concerns are growing over further fighting and attacks on critical infrastructure, increasing pressure on both sides to consider a settlement.
However, major disagreements over territory continue to stand in the way of a peace agreement.
Trump’s previous efforts to broker an end to the war have struggled over Russia’s demand to control all of Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region, including areas still under Ukrainian control.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected giving up territory held by his country, warning that Russia could use such areas as a base for another attack.
Russia currently occupies roughly one-fifth of Ukrainian territory following its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
The territorial dispute remains one of the biggest obstacles to negotiations, despite renewed efforts by Washington to bring both sides closer to an agreement.
The Miami meeting also comes as the Trump administration seeks progress on its diplomatic efforts before the US midterm elections in November.
According to Axios, Witkoff and Kushner briefed Trump on their latest proposals during a meeting on Thursday attended by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and other senior officials.
Washington is also seeking to arrange broader discussions involving Russia and Ukraine later this month.
The Kremlin has indicated that three-way negotiations could resume in October, although no date has been announced.
Whether the renewed talks will produce a breakthrough remains uncertain, as both sides continue to disagree over territory and the security arrangements needed to end the war.
FOLLOW US ON:
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
PINTEREST
TIKTOK
YOUTUBE
LINKEDIN
INSTAGRAM
