Kyiv Delegation Convenes in Florida for Peace Talks Amid War Cost Analysis

Diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict in Ukraine reached a significant phase on Sunday, November 30, 2025, as a newly configured Ukrainian delegation met with United States officials in Hallandale Beach, Florida. The central focus of this high-level engagement was the detailed refinement of a proposed peace framework, a document that has undergone substantial internal revision following a domestic corruption inquiry. The leadership change involved Rustem Umerov assuming the role as head of the Ukrainian negotiating team, succeeding Andriy Yermak, whose departure was formalized on Friday, November 28, 2025, subsequent to anti-corruption investigations.

This personnel shift, as relayed through reporting, suggested a potential recalibration of Kyiv's negotiating posture, possibly moving toward a position more amenable to compromise to advance the delicate diplomatic process. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the session as productive and useful, while also noting that the process remains complicated and will ultimately require Russia's inclusion in the dialogue. Umerov later confirmed the meeting's success, stating that progress was made in advancing a dignified peace and aligning positions with the American counterparts, building upon earlier discussions held in Geneva during November 2025.

The U.S. delegation, which included Senior Advisor Jared Kushner, articulated a long-term objective to support Ukraine in securing its future safety and fostering an era of prosperity. Negotiations specifically addressed revisions to a foundational 28-point peace plan, originally co-drafted by U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and a Kremlin envoy, which reportedly favored Russian prerequisites. Reports indicated that the version discussed in Florida had been scaled back to 19 points, reflecting efforts to balance competing interests.

The immediate next phase involves U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, who is scheduled to travel to Moscow this week to engage directly with Russian leader Vladimir Putin regarding the refined proposal. This sequence of engagement underscores the urgency felt by the U.S. State Department, which is actively involved in shaping the framework, particularly as financing for Ukraine's defense is increasingly being framed as a critical European responsibility amid projections of phasing out American support. The context of these talks is further complicated by previous reports that Witkoff had discussed the peace plan with President Trump during an October 14 call.

Concurrently, a financial assessment published on November 25, 2025, by the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI) and Consultancy Corisk quantified the economic divergence based on the war's conclusion. The study projected that a scenario resulting in a Russian victory over four years could impose costs on Europe between €1.2 and €1.6 trillion ($1.4 to $1.8 trillion USD), with refugee-related expenses alone estimated as high as $1.1 trillion. Conversely, the authors modeled the costs associated with a Ukrainian victory over the same timeframe at a significantly lower range of €522–838 billion ($605 to $972 billion USD), noting that Ukrainian success would reduce the long-term need for Western financial backing.

As of December 1, 2025, approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory remains under occupation, lending concrete weight to the financial projections. The NUPI/Corisk analysis also suggested that frozen Russian assets could potentially mitigate European expenses by as much as 50 percent. The involvement of key figures such as Andrii Hnatov, Head of the armed forces, and Andrii Sybiha, the Foreign Minister, alongside U.S. officials like Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Jared Kushner, underscores the comprehensive nature of the diplomatic architecture being constructed in response to the conflict.