US-Ukraine talks on Sunday focused on new de facto borders – media

The talks between the United States and Ukraine on Sunday focused on where the de facto border with Russia would be under a peace deal, Axios reported, citing Ukrainian officials.

They described the five-hour meeting as "difficult" and "intense" but productive, the publication noted.

"Negotiations between the U.S. and Ukraine on Sunday focused on where the de facto border with Russia would be drawn under a peace deal,"one of the officials commented.

Vladimir Putin, who is expected to meet with President Trump’s envoy on Tuesday, insists that Russia will not stop until it controls all of Donbas in eastern Ukraine. The United States wants Ukraine to give up the territory to persuade Putin to make peace.

The American side arrived for the Sunday meeting at the exclusive Shell Bay Golf Club near Miami, owned by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, hoping to make progress on the territory issue, which Witkoff could then present to Putin at their meeting.

After an hour of broader discussions, the meeting narrowed to three officials from each side — and, according to two Ukrainian officials, virtually the only issue discussed was the line of territorial control.

The American side included Witkoff, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Trump’s adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner. The Ukrainian side was represented by National Security Adviser Rustem Umerov, Chief of the General Staff General Andriy Gnatov, and Deputy Head of Military Intelligence Vadym Skibytsky.

After concluding talks with his teams, Umerov held another face-to-face meeting with Witkoff. Umerov then called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to brief him on the talks.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wanted to discuss the territory directly with Trump, but Trump said he would meet with Zelensky or Putin again only when a deal was close to being made.

At the end of the meeting, both sides expressed optimism.

Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he returned to Washington from Florida on Sunday that he had been briefed on the results of the talks and that he believed "there’s a good chance we can make a deal."

A senior U.S. official called Sunday’s talks "positive."