Washington: A private meeting held in Miami between members of the U.S. administration and a senior Russian figure has raised fresh questions about how Washington developed its latest proposal to end the war in Ukraine.
The meeting took place in late October and included U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner. They met Kirill Dmitriev, the head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, who is under American sanctions. A special permission reportedly allowed Dmitriev to travel for the discussion.
That conversation led to a 28 point peace proposal now being pushed by the United States as a possible path to end the conflict. The plan has quickly become one of the most debated diplomatic documents of the year.
Officials familiar with the proposal say it includes major concessions expected from Ukraine. These include accepting the loss of Crimea, recognising Russian control of parts of eastern Ukraine and agreeing not to join the NATO security alliance in the future. The plan also suggests limiting the size of Ukraine’s military forces.
Ukraine has reacted sharply. Leaders in Kyiv said the proposal demands sacrifices no country could accept and stressed that Ukraine’s sovereignty cannot be negotiated away. Senior Ukrainian security officials said they have not agreed to any of the conditions described in the draft.
European governments have responded cautiously. Leaders from France, Germany and Britain said the proposal could be a starting point for talks but insisted it must be changed significantly. They emphasised that any peace deal must respect Ukraine’s independence and must be created with full involvement from Kyiv, not forced upon it.
The United States has called for quick progress and set an informal Thanksgiving deadline for Ukraine to respond. President Donald Trump has said Washington expects Kyiv to consider the plan seriously and warned that continued American military support may depend on Ukraine’s willingness to negotiate.
Diplomats from the U.S., Europe and Ukraine are preparing to meet in Geneva to examine possible amendments. With the war entering another difficult winter, the coming days will show whether the proposal can be reshaped into a workable agreement or whether it will deepen tensions between allies.