Friday’s Coverage: Macron to Europe’s Leaders — “A Chance the US Will Betray Ukraine”
Details of the discussions have been tightly guarded, following Witkoff and Kushner’s conference with Vladimir Putin and his senior advisors in the Kremlin on Tuesday.
There has been no reference to the Kremlin’s demand for the rest of the strategic Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, agreed by Witkoff and Kushner in a 28-point proposal with Putin’s senior economic advisor Kirill Dmitriev in Florida. Nor has there been any update on the proposal’s ban on Ukrainian membership in NATO and its strict restrictions on Kyiv’s military forces and Western assistance.
On Friday, a statement indirectly addressed a European counter-proposal — supported by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio — which begins with a ceasefire on the current frontlines.
“Both parties agreed that real progress toward any agreement depends on Russia’s readiness to show serious commitment to long-term peace, including steps toward de-escalation and cessation of killings,” the statement summarized.
It also referred to the profit-making ambitions of the Trump camp as well as Ukraine’s economic future: “Parties also separately reviewed the future prosperity agenda which aims to support Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction, joint US–Ukraine economic initiatives, and long-term recovery projects.”
The discussions are being conducted near Miami at the Shell Bay Club, a private golf and lifestyle resort owned by Witkoff’s real estate development company. Umerov is the head of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky and European partners, who earlier in the week warned about a Trump Administration “betrayal” of Kyiv and advised Zelensky of the “danger”, made no comment on Friday.
Zelensky said in his nightly address to the nation on Thursday that his officials wanted to know “what other pretexts Putin has come up with to drag out the war and to pressure Ukraine”.
Large Russian Missile and Drone Attacks Injure 3 Civilians in Kyiv Region
At least three civilians have been injured in the Kyiv region amid a large Russian missile and drone strike across Ukraine overnight.
Russia fired a barrage of missiles and dozens of drones. Reports of UAVs came as far west as the Lviv region. The latest round of launches was just before 7 a.m.
Explosions were reported in Poltava, Lutsk, Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, and Bila Tserkva.
Ukraine’s rail authority said Russia carried out a “massive shelling of railway infrastructure” in the Kyiv region. The capital’s main rail station was reportedly hit.