Zelenskyy says Ukraine and US preparing next diplomatic steps to end war
Ukraine’s president says Kyiv and Washington are preparing further diplomacy after talks in Florida, despite tensions over US support and Ukrainian strikes on Russia.
The Lead
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on October 18 that Kyiv and Washington were preparing the next diplomatic steps toward ending Russia’s war after he spoke with US envoys Steven Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Key Facts
- Zelenskyy spoke by phone on October 18 with US presidential envoys Steven Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
- Ukraine’s presidency said the call covered the results of recent talks between Ukrainian and US teams in Florida.
- Zelenskyy told NBC that Washington had resumed intelligence sharing after a three-day interruption during Russian ballistic missile attacks.
Article Body
Ukraine’s presidency said Zelenskyy and the two envoys reviewed recent discussions between Ukrainian and American teams in Florida. It did not specify what the next diplomatic steps would involve or provide a timetable.
The contact came amid friction between Kyiv and US President Donald Trump’s administration. Al Jazeera reported that Trump had declined to impose anticipated sanctions on Russia’s energy economy and criticised renewed Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy infrastructure.
Zelenskyy nevertheless described communication with US counterparts as virtually nonstop and said Washington’s position would be decisive. He also said the United States had restored intelligence sharing after a temporary interruption that, according to his account, left Ukraine without unique US warnings during three days of Russian ballistic missile attacks.
Fighting continued alongside the diplomacy. Ukrainian authorities reported deaths and injuries from Russian strikes, while Ukraine launched a major drone attack on St Petersburg that Russian state media said killed at least one person and hit energy and commercial sites.
The next consequential question is whether the continuing US-Ukraine contacts produce a defined negotiating framework—or remain overshadowed by disputes over military support and long-range attacks.
What to Watch
The clearest signal is that Ukrainian and US negotiating teams remain in near-continuous contact despite public disputes over intelligence, satellite access and strikes on Russian energy infrastructure.