US President Trump is optimistic about a Ukraine peace deal after talks, as Secretary Rubio says more work is needed before envoy heads to Moscow
HALLANDALE BEACH: US President Donald Trump said there was a “good chance” of a deal to end the war in Ukraine following the latest negotiations.
His comments came after hours of what both sides described as “productive” discussions in Hallandale Beach, Florida.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that more work was required, calling the process “delicate” and “complicated.”
A source within Kyiv’s delegation characterised the discussions as “not easy.”
The talks set the stage for a visit to Moscow by Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff, who is expected to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.
Washington is seeking to finalise a plan to end the nearly four-year conflict with approval from both Moscow and Kyiv.
“Ukraine’s got some difficult little problems,” Trump told reporters, referring to a domestic corruption probe.
“But I think that there’s a good chance we can make a deal.”
Rubio said the talks were “very productive” but emphasised further steps are needed.
“There’s more work to be done,” he told reporters.
Ukraine’s security council secretary Rustem Umerov led Kyiv’s delegation and briefed President Volodymyr Zelensky on the “substantial progress” made.
Zelensky wrote on social media that all issues were discussed with a focus on ensuring Ukraine’s sovereignty and national interests.
The flurry of diplomacy continues as the war shows no sign of easing, having killed tens of thousands and displaced millions.
Ahead of the Florida talks, Russian forces targeted Ukraine’s capital region for two consecutive nights.
A drone attack on the outskirts of Kyiv killed one person and wounded 11 others late Saturday.
Hours earlier, a Ukrainian security source said Kyiv was responsible for attacks on two oil tankers in the Black Sea believed to be transporting sanctioned Russian oil.
One of Russia’s largest oil terminals halted operations on Saturday following a separate drone strike.
The Caspian Pipeline Consortium, which owns the terminal and includes US oil majors Chevron and ExxonMobil, called the strike a “terrorist attack.” – AFP
