LEILA FADEL, HOST:
This week sees the U.S. again ramping up diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
A senior White House delegation hosted Ukrainian negotiators on Sunday, and more talks are expected when U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff heads to Moscow later today.
FADEL: Joining us to talk about the state of play is NPR's Charles Maynes, who joins us on the line from Moscow. Hi, Charles.
CHARLES MAYNES, BYLINE: Morning, Leila.
FADEL: OK. So let's begin with this weekend's negotiations. What can you tell us?
MAYNES: Yeah. Sure. You know, so on Sunday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, along with White House envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner - of course, the son-in-law of the president - hosted a Ukrainian delegation for talks in Florida, which has emerged as kind of a nexus for Ukraine-related diplomacy in recent weeks. Discussions were focused on this new U.S. peace plan, initially criticized as heavily tilted in Russia's favor but since amended with input from Ukraine and Europe. Now, Rubio called the meeting productive, even as he made clear there was plenty more work to do. He also had this to say.
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MARCO RUBIO: We don't just want to end the war. We also want to help Ukraine be safe forever, so never again will they face another invasion. And equally importantly, we want them to enter an age of true prosperity.
MAYNES: Now, this meeting was also notable because of a shift in the makeup of the Ukrainian delegation. That's after a corruption scandal led to the resignation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's chief of staff, who had been the lead negotiator with the U.S. How much that influenced the talks is tough to say. Trump, in brief comments to journalists Sunday, referred to the corruption scandal as a little problem. Rubio didn't mention it at all.
FADEL: OK. Now, White House envoy Steve Witkoff is expected in Moscow soon. Any sense of what he can expect?
MAYNES: Yeah. You know, he arrives later today and will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin either tonight or tomorrow. But Witkoff has his own baggage. You know, a recently leaked transcript of an audio recording reported by Bloomberg News certainly appeared to show Witkoff actively coaching the Kremlin on how to engage with Trump and working with them to incorporate key Russian talking points into the original draft of the peace plan. You know, that said, Trump has dismissed this as basically deal-making 101. And Putin also defended Witkoff, saying, yeah, he's a polite and intelligent guy who tried to work with us. And wouldn't it be strange if he'd come here and just insulted us and expected to get anything done?
FADEL: So OK. Witkoff and Putin have some rapport, as I hear there. Trump says he does as well with Putin. But has that translated into any actual flexibility in the Russian position?
MAYNES: It's a good question, yeah, because Putin, it seems, is trying to tempt the U.S. into upping the pressure on Ukraine to accept a deal. You know, on Friday, he offered an immediate end to hostilities if Ukraine withdraws from territory Moscow claims, which may sound appealing if you ignore that it's Ukrainian land that Russia hasn't been able to seize in more than three years of fighting, although Putin argues it's just a matter of time.
Meanwhile, Russia's been tempting the U.S. in other ways. You know, Putin's negotiators - they constantly talk about how much money the U.S. could make in Russia once the war ends and sanctions are lifted, which is why some of these statements out of Florida were interesting to hear. You know, they suggest the U.S. now sees prosperity - business deals - as key to a lasting peace. The question is, to what degree are they seen as a substitute for Western security guarantees for Ukraine that Kyiv has always sought and Moscow's always rejected?
FADEL: That's NPR's Charles Maynes in Moscow. Thank you, Charles.
MAYNES: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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