In an updated diplomatic push aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law, met Friday with two top Ukrainian officials in Miami.
According to the State Department, they met with Rustem Umerov, the secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, and Andrii Hnatov, Ukraine's chief of the General Staff.
It was the sixth meeting between U.S. and Ukrainian officials in the past two weeks and the second in two days.
On Thursday, Witkoff held productive talks with Umerov in Miami, according to a White House official.
"Yesterday's meeting between American and Ukrainian representatives in Miami was productive, and progress was made," the official said.
"They will reconvene later today after briefing their respective leaders."
Friday's meeting, which came on the heels of recent U.S.-Russia negotiations in Moscow, was framed as part of a continuing effort by the Trump administration to craft a path toward peace.
Although the State Department did not provide details, the timing suggested the discussions focused on reconciling Ukraine's security demands with broader geopolitical pressure and the U.S.-drafted proposal to end hostilities.
This gathering follows a separate, high-profile meeting in Moscow between Witkoff, Kushner, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which reportedly was described by Kremlin officials as "useful" and "constructive," though no agreement was reached.
The involvement of Umerov and Hnatov signals Kyiv's continued engagement with the U.S. diplomatic initiative, even as trust remains fragile — particularly given widely reported concerns in Europe and within Ukraine about portions of the U.S. draft peace plan that critics contend favor Russia.
Still, the U.S. push underlines a broader shift: Rather than relying on traditional diplomatic channels or multilateral European-led efforts, the Trump administration appears to be leading a direct U.S.-Ukraine-Russia track, with senior Ukrainian security figures now officially involved.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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