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End to war 'depends on Russia's commitment to peace,' Ukraine, US agree

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End to war 'depends on Russia's commitment to peace,' Ukraine, US agree
Russian President Vladimir Putin during a news conference at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, India, on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025 (Prakash Singh/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The U.S. and Ukraine have both agreed that any lasting peace deal "depends on Russia’s readiness to show serious commitment to long-term peace," according to a readout from a Dec. 5 meeting of delegations from both countries.

Ukrainian officials have been holding talks with U.S. President Donald Trump's envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, in Miami over the last two days, with talks set to continue on Dec. 6.

"Both parties agreed that real progress toward any agreement depends on Russia’s readiness to show serious commitment to long-term peace, including steps toward de-escalation and cessation of killings," a readout posted on social media by Witkoff said.

Over the course of 2025, Ukraine has repeatedly agreed to ceasefire proposals put forward by the White House.

Russia has consistently refused to halt its full-scale invasion.

Shortly after the statement was posted, Russia once again hammered Ukraine's energy infrastructure, hitting substations, generation facilities, and disconnecting one of the power lines that supplies the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

According to Ukraine's Air Force, Russia launched 653 Shahed-type attack drones, 36 cruise missiles, and 17 ballistic missiles at targets across the country. Sixty strikes were recorded at 29 locations.

Just before midday on Dec. 6, air raid sirens sounded across a large swathe of Ukraine as Russia launched another wave of ballistic missiles at Ukrainian cities.

"American and Ukrainian parties underscored that an end to the war and credible steps toward ceasefire and de-escalation are necessary to prevent renewed aggression and to enable Ukraine’s comprehensive redevelopment plan, designed to make the nation stronger and more prosperous than before the war," the readout said.

"Parties will reconvene tomorrow to continue advancing the discussions."

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Chris York

News Operations Editor

Chris York is news operations editor at the Kyiv Independent. Before joining the team, he was head of news at the Kyiv Post. Previously, back in Britain, he spent nearly a decade working for HuffPost UK. He holds an MA in Conflict, Development, and Security from the University of Leeds.

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