U.S. and Ukrainian negotiators gathered at Shell Bay Golf Club near Miami for a tense five-hour discussion centered on where a de facto border with Russia would be drawn under a prospective peace agreement. The Ukrainian delegation was led by Rustem Umerov, with Andriy Hnatov and Vadym Skibitsky, while the American side included Steve Witkoff, Marco Rubio, and Jared Kushner. Zelenskyy sought a direct line to U.S. President Donald Trump to press the territorial question, according to Axios and UNN reports.
The talks framed the issue as defining a de facto border rather than a formal map discussion, with security guarantees for Ukraine as a key objective. Participants described the dialogue as intense but productive, focusing on positions that could form the backbone of a future settlement and influence negotiations in Paris.
Trump’s remarks during a separate briefing suggested an optimistic outlook, indicating there could be a deal and that he would meet Zelenskyy or Putin once an agreement is reached. A senior U.S. official described the Sunday session as positive, while Ukrainian participants emphasized their wish to keep Ukraine’s sovereignty and security at the center of any arrangement.
Umerov and his team were set to brief Zelenskyy later from Paris on the outcomes, with discussions stressing how any territorial compromises would be presented to allied capitals and to Moscow. The episode underscored how borders and territorial questions may shape the endgame of the war and the diplomacy surrounding it.
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