Zelensky depicts peace talks with U.S. as "constructive" but "not easy"

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday that talks with U.S. representatives on a peace plan for Ukraine have been "constructive" but "not easy," as he is scheduled to meet European leaders this week.



"The American representatives know the basic Ukrainian positions," Zelensky said in his nightly video address. "The conversation was constructive, although not easy."



Intensive diplomatic efforts have been underway between the relevant parties over the past few days.



On Saturday, U.S. and Ukrainian delegations concluded three-day talks in Miami, Florida, focusing on territorial issues and U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine, U.S. online media outlet Axios reported.



Sources told Axios that the discussion on territory was "difficult," as Kiev has rejected Russia's key demand to withdraw troops from parts of the Donbass that Ukraine continues to occupy, while the United States was trying to develop new ideas to bridge the gap. Another major topic was U.S. security guarantees for Kiev, on which the parties made "significant progress," the report added.



At the end of the Miami talks, Zelensky held a phone call with Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner. Describing the call as "long and substantive," Zelensky said on X that Ukraine remains committed to working with the United States "in good faith" to "genuinely achieve peace."