Miami, Florida - Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelensky voiced hope Sunday that the US would keep up efforts to end the Russian invasion despite the US focus on attacking Iran, after envoys met in Florida.
Steve Witkoff, Trump's globe-trotting negotiator, reported unspecified progress during the two days of discussions, which came after the US relaxed sanctions on Russian oil.
"It's clear that the primary focus of the American side at this time is the situation around Iran and in that region, but this war that Russia is waging against Ukraine must also be brought to an end," Zelensky said in an evening address.
"This is treated the same way by everyone in the world, and I am very grateful to American society for its clear support for a normal, dignified peace for Ukraine," he said.
Zelensky said he would speak with the Ukrainian team upon their return and hoped for further diplomacy between the US and Ukraine.
"That would indeed be very good news and confirmation that diplomacy is working. We hope this will happen," Zelensky said.
Witkoff wrote on X that the two sides "focused on key points to define a durable and dependable security framework for Ukraine, as well as critical humanitarian efforts in the region."
He deleted an earlier post in which he said that the two sides reached "a breakthrough on a key humanitarian matter."
Trump pushes Ukraine to make concessions to end Russia's invasion
Trump had promised to end the war on the first day of returning to the White House 14 months ago and repeatedly leaned on Ukraine to make compromises to Russia, which invaded in February 2022.
Trump earlier this month again blamed Zelensky, saying the Ukrainian leader "has to get a deal done," while saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin was ready to do so.
Russia has kept pressing on with slow territorial gains in eastern Ukraine despite Trump's diplomacy.
Trump welcomed Putin to a summit in Alaska in August, ending the Russian leader's isolation in the West.
The Trump administration recently relaxed sanctions on Russian energy exports – a key form of Western pressure since the invasion – in a bid to ease a spike in global prices after the US and Israel attacked Iran.
Witkoff was also involved in diplomacy with Iran, appearing to negotiate with Tehran on a nuclear deal even as the US and Israel prepared for war.
The two countries attacked Iran two days after Witkoff met via an Omani intermediary with Iran on a potential deal on Iran's nuclear program.