US-Ukraine hold ceasefire talks for three consecutive days..."Substantive progress depends on Russia"

US-Ukraine negotiating teams held talks for two days starting on the 4th

Representatives of the United States and Ukraine, who are discussing an end to the Russia-Ukraine war and the establishment of a post-war security architecture, sat across the negotiating table for a third consecutive day.

However, both sides soberly assessed that substantive progress toward a ceasefire agreement depends entirely on Russia's stance.

According to the AP and the BBC, the U.S. and Ukrainian negotiating teams, which held talks in Florida for two days beginning on the 4th, said on the 5th (local time) that discussions would continue on the weekend, on the 6th.

U.S. President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner, and Ukraine's chief negotiators Rustem Umerov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, and Andriy Hnatov, Chief of the General Staff, issued a statement after completing a second day of talks.

The two sides agreed that "substantive progress toward an agreement depends on whether Russia is prepared to show a serious commitment to long-term peace, including measures to de-escalate tensions and halt killing."

The United States and Ukraine also said they "separately reviewed a future prosperity agenda to support Ukraine's post-war reconstruction and to advance U.S.-Ukraine joint economic initiatives and long-term recovery projects."

They added that discussions were held on the framework of security measures and "deterrence" necessary for Ukraine to maintain "sustainable peace."

The two sides emphasized that "concluding a truce agreement is essential to realize Ukraine's comprehensive redevelopment plan, designed to prevent new aggression and to make the country stronger and more prosperous than before the war."

This U.S.-Ukraine meeting drew attention as it was held immediately after Envoy Witkoff and Kushner conducted end-of-war talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on the 2nd.

At that U.S.-Russia meeting, President Putin indicated he would accept only parts of the U.S.-proposed ceasefire plan and postponed a conclusion, leaving the meeting without clear results.

To achieve an end to the war, Russia and Ukraine must reach agreement on key issues such as the handling of Ukrainian territories occupied by Russian forces and Ukraine's security guarantees.

Yu Ji-hee, Hankyung.com reporter keephee@hankyung.com