An aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin said that recent peace talks in Florida aimed at ending the war in Ukraine were not as optimistic as described by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev.
Witkoff wrote Sunday on X that the talks with Ukraine and Europe were "productive and constructive."
However, Russian state-owned media outlet Tass reported Sunday that Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said the bulk of the peace proposals would most likely not suit Russia.
Ushakov said most of the proposals discussed with the United States had been put forward by Ukraine and European officials and appeared to him to be "rather unconstructive."
That assessment contrasts with comments Dmitriev reportedly made Saturday following talks with Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law.
"Discussions are being held constructively," Dmitriev told reporters, according to Tass.
Dmitriev did not brief the Kremlin on the results of the talks by phone while still in the U.S. and is expected to report directly to Putin upon his return to Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
"He wouldn't pass this information on to the Kremlin over the phone," Peskov told Russia's Channel One TV when asked whether Dmitriev had informed officials of the talks' outcome.
Witkoff, Kushner, and White House senior adviser Josh Gruenbaum also held a separate round of meetings in Florida with a Ukrainian delegation, alongside key European national security advisers.
"Ukraine remains fully committed to achieving a just and sustainable peace," Witkoff wrote on X.
"Our shared priority is to stop the killing, ensure guaranteed security, and create conditions for Ukraine's recovery, stability, and long-term prosperity."
Negotiations over a ceasefire and a broader peace deal have accelerated in recent weeks as the Trump administration seeks to broker an end to the conflict, which began with Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The U.S. last month circulated a draft 28-point framework aimed at ending the war before Ukraine countered earlier this month with a 20-point proposal.
Witkoff said the weekend talks focused on further developing the 20-point plan and aligning strategy among Ukraine, the U.S., and Europe.
Russia, however, is unlikely to accept the proposal because of unresolved territorial disputes, insisting Ukraine must cede land Moscow has occupied since 2014.
Speaking at his annual end-of-year news conference last week, Putin reportedly said responsibility for the war lies entirely with Ukraine and that unspecified "root causes" must be addressed to resolve the conflict.
Putin also said Russia invaded Ukraine in self-defense and said he would not be responsible if a peace deal proposed by Trump were rejected, placing the blame on Kyiv.
"The issue lies entirely on the other side," Putin said. "The ball is entirely in the court of our so-called Western adversaries, first and foremost the leaders of the Kyiv regime, and — in this case especially — their European sponsors.
"We are ready for negotiations and to settle the conflict by peaceful means."
Dmitriev suggested the next round of talks between Russian and U.S. delegations could take place in Moscow.
"Thank you, Miami. Next time: Moscow," he wrote on X.
Dmitriev accompanied the post with a photo of himself wearing a T-shirt reading "Next time in Moscow," bearing Putin's signature.
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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