MIAMI, FLORIDA Janaury 31, 2026 – U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Peace Missions Steve Witkoff announced that talks with Russian Special Envoy Kirill Dmitriev in Florida on January 31 were “productive and constructive,” signaling progress in U.S.-led efforts to mediate a peaceful resolution to Russia’s nearly four-year war in Ukraine.
In a statement posted on X by the Office of the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Peace Missions, Witkoff said: “Today in Florida, the Russian Special Envoy Kirill Dmitriev held productive and constructive meetings as part of the U.S. mediation effort toward advancing a peaceful resolution of the Ukrainian conflict.”
The American delegation included Witkoff, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, presidential advisor and former senior Trump administration official Jared Kushner, and White House Senior Advisor Josh Gruenbaum.
“We are encouraged by this meeting that Russia is working toward securing peace in Ukraine and is grateful for @POTUS’s critical leadership in seeking a durable and lasting peace,” the statement added.
Dmitriev, who serves as CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and is a close economic advisor to President Vladimir Putin, also described the discussions positively, calling them a “constructive meeting with the US peacemaking delegation” in his own X post.
The meeting in Miami comes amid an intensified U.S. diplomatic push to end the war, with reports indicating follow-up talks involving Ukrainian and Russian negotiators may take place soon. Multiple international outlets, including Bloomberg, Reuters, and Al Jazeera, reported the Florida discussions as part of ongoing back-channel negotiations facilitated by the Trump administration.
While both sides expressed optimism, some observers noted the use of the term “Ukrainian conflict” in the U.S. statement, which has drawn criticism online from pro-Ukraine voices who insist on describing it as “Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.”
No specific details on potential agreements or concessions were released, but sources familiar with the talks described the atmosphere as focused on exploring pathways to a lasting ceasefire.
The development follows a series of high-level contacts in recent months, reflecting continued U.S. efforts to broker a deal between Moscow and Kyiv.
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