Witkoff, Kushner Pitch ‘New Ideas’ to Ukraine in Miami

US presidential envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will meet Ukrainian negotiators in Miami on Friday, Oct. 9, to present “new ideas and proposals” aimed at breaking the deadlock in efforts to end Russia’s war.The two-day talks are intended to produce a unified proposal that Washington could subsequently discuss with Moscow, according to Axios, citing US and Ukrainian officials.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.One proposal under consideration is a limited ceasefire covering attacks on energy infrastructure and grain shipments. Ukraine has expressed readiness to discuss such an arrangement, while Russia has shown little willingness to accept temporary measures.“They are all nervous about the winter. It will be a tough winter if the war does not stop,” a US source told Axios, adding that Washington was attempting to mediate between the sides and develop a common proposal.Who will attend the Miami talks?Ukraine will be represented by Kyrylo Budanov, Rustem Umerov, Davyd Arakhamia, and Serhiy Kyslytsya, according to Axios.Representatives of the White House National Security Council and US Treasury Department are also expected to participate. Washington invited national security advisers from the UK, France, and Germany, as well as officials from NATO and the EU.The meeting’s agenda is expected to include possible security guarantees for Ukraine, a post-war economic recovery plan, and other elements of a potential settlement, Reuters reported. Other Topics of Interest Russia Seizes 25 Civilians, Including Children, From Kharkiv Region, Ombudsman Says Relatives do not know where the civilians are, Dmytro Lubinets said, accusing Russian troops of using intimidation under the guise of evacuation. Earlier on Thursday, Witkoff and Kushner met with US President Donald Trump to present the latest American proposals and receive his feedback before the talks. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Deputy National Security Adviser Mike Needham reportedly attended that meeting as well.President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Kyiv was discussing a possible ceasefire covering energy facilities and grain shipments but avoided predicting whether an agreement could be reached.“As for what might be realistic or more realistic, I am not ready to say yet,” Zelensky said. “I do not want to say something and then have Russia, as always, do the opposite out of spite. So let’s wait and see.”Another Moscow trip may followWitkoff and Kushner could travel to Moscow later in October for further negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to a source cited by Axios. No date has been confirmed.The two envoys visited Moscow and Kyiv in early September and have since worked with Russian and Ukrainian representatives on an updated peace initiative.The Trump administration is seeking to revive trilateral negotiations between the US, Ukraine, and Russia, but no new three-way meeting has been announced.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow agreed with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s assessment that the diplomatic process had reached a stalemate. However, Peskov rejected the idea of temporary or limited ceasefires and said Russia wanted a “comprehensive” settlement.He also said there was currently no immediate prospect of a summit involving Trump, Zelensky, and Putin.The Miami meeting will therefore test whether Washington’s new proposals can bridge fundamental differences between Kyiv and Moscow before Witkoff and Kushner potentially return to Russia. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 90% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.