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U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff said Saturday (January 31, 2026) helium had held constructive talks with a Russian envoy successful Florida arsenic portion of Washington's thrust to extremity the warfare successful Ukraine.
The gathering came conscionable a time earlier Ukrainian and Russian negotiators were scheduled to conscionable successful Abu Dhabi to sermon a U.S.-backed program to halt the astir four-year struggle that began with Russia's penetration of Ukraine.
"Today successful Florida, the Russian Special Envoy Kirill Dmitriev held productive and constructive meetings arsenic portion of the U.S. mediation effort toward advancing a peaceful solution of the Ukrainian conflict," Mr. Witkoff posted connected X.
"We are encouraged by this gathering that Russia is moving toward securing bid successful Ukraine," helium added.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and White House Senior Advisor Josh Gruenbaum besides attended the talks, helium said.
Earlier Saturday (January 31, 2026), a root adjacent to the talks had told AFP that they had started astatine 8:00 a.m. (1300 GMT) and that Mr. Dmitriev had arrived successful Miami.
Neither broadside released details of what was discussed.
Mr. Dmitriev, Russian President Vladimir Putin's apical economical envoy, met Mr. Witkoff and Mr. Kushner earlier successful January connected the sidelines of the World Economic Forum successful Davos, Switzerland.
He besides held talks with U.S. negotiators connected Ukraine successful a sojourn to Miami successful December.
The 2nd circular of talks successful Abu Dhabi are acceptable to commencement connected Sunday (February 1, 2026), adjacent if Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy suggested earlier this week that it mightiness beryllium postponed due to the fact that of the U.S.-Iran crisis.
Mr. Zelenskyy said successful his evening code Saturday (January 31, 2026) his negotiators were besides waiting to perceive from the United States connected further meetings.
"Ukraine is acceptable to enactment successful each moving formats," said Mr. Zelenskyy. "It is important that determination are results and that the meetings instrumentality place. We are counting connected meetings adjacent week and are preparing for them."
Teams from Ukraine and Russia met Friday (January 30, 2026) and Saturday (January 31, 2026) past week successful Abu Dhabi successful their archetypal in-person negotiations connected a program being pushed by Mr. Trump.
The United States says some sides are adjacent to a deal, but they person truthful acold been incapable to find a compromise connected the cardinal contented of territory successful a post-war settlement, according to Kyiv.
The Kremlin connected Friday (January 30, 2026) said Mr. Putin had agreed to a intermission connected striking Kyiv — ending Sunday (February 1, 2026) — pursuing a petition by Mr. Trump.
