Ukraine, US hold first reconstruction talks as economic recovery tied to peace deal
Ukraine and the U.S. held the first talks of a working group focused on drafting a document for Ukraine's reconstruction and economic recovery, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Dec. 10.
The talks mark a practical follow-up to Zelensky's announcement a day earlier that Ukraine and its partners are developing three core documents shaping the current negotiation track: a framework peace agreement, security guarantees, and a reconstruction plan.
Kyiv aims to advance work on recovery in parallel with security discussions, arguing that long-term economic stability depends on a credible postwar settlement.
"We discussed key elements for recovery, various mechanisms, and visions for reconstruction," Zelensky said. "There are many ideas that, with the right approach, could succeed in Ukraine."
The Ukrainian president added that the teams also updated their positions on the 20-point framework document for ending the war, stressing that "overall security will determine economic security and underpin a safe business environment."
The U.S. delegation included Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, BlackRock investment company CEO Larry Fink, and Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump.
On the Ukrainian side, participants included Zelensky, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, and Deputy Foreign Minister Sergiy Kyslytsya.
Zelensky said the sides agreed on next steps and future contacts between their teams, signaling an intent to move quickly as Washington presses for faster progress on a broader settlement.
The reconstruction discussions come as Zelensky said on Dec. 9 that Ukraine and European partners have finalized revisions to the peace framework and plan to present them to the U.S. shortly.
In recent days, Zelensky has intensified diplomacy across Europe.
He met British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and other leaders in London on Dec. 8, traveled to Brussels for talks with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and EU officials, and on Dec. 9 held meetings in Rome with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Pope Leo XIV.
Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov also visited Washington last week to continue refining the U.S.-backed proposal.
At the same time, the diplomatic push still faces stiff resistance from Moscow.
Kremlin officials continue to reject compromises on core demands, including insisting that Ukraine withdraw from unoccupied parts of Donetsk Oblast, a condition Kyiv has ruled out.
