Ukraine Says Latest Peace Talks With US, Europe 'Productive'

(MENAFN- IANS) Kyiv, Dec 22 (IANS) Ukraine's talks with US and European partners over the past three days in the US state of Florida were "productive and constructive," Ukraine's top peace negotiator Rustem Umerov said.

In a Facebook post, Umerov said discussions between Ukraine and the US focused on further development of a 20-point peace plan, aligning positions on multilateral and US security guarantee frameworks for Ukraine, and further development of an economic and prosperity plan, Xinhua news agency reported.

The sides also discussed timelines and the sequencing of next steps.

"Ukraine remains fully committed to achieving a just and sustainable peace," Umerov said. "Our shared priority is to stop the killing, ensure guaranteed security, and create conditions for Ukraine's recovery, stability, and long-term prosperity."

"Peace must be not only a cessation of hostilities, but also a dignified foundation for a stable future," he said, adding that Ukraine will continue "close coordination" with the US and Europe in the next stages.

He added that key European national security advisors joined the discussions to align on a shared strategic approach between Ukraine, the United States and Europe.

US presidential special envoy Steve Witkoff issued a similar statement on X, confirming that "a series of productive and constructive meetings" were held over the past three days.

The Ukrainian delegation included Umerov, who is also secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, and Andriy Hnatov, chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The US delegation included Witkoff, Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and White House staff member Josh Gruenbaum.

Over the weekend, Russian President Vladimir Putin's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev held separate talks with US officials in Miami, Florida. "The discussions are proceeding constructively," Dmitriev told reporters Saturday.

During his annual year-end press conference in Moscow on Friday, Putin said Russia agrees to end the Ukraine crisis through negotiations, alongside eliminating the root causes, noting that now "the ball is entirely in the court of Ukraine and its European sponsors."

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