Ukraine war latest: Officials hail 'difficult but productive' meeting as Ukraine, US conclude peace deal talks in Florida
Key developments on Nov. 29-30:
- Officials hail 'productive' meeting, stress 'more work' ahead as Ukraine, US conclude peace deal talks in Florida
- 'Half of Kyiv without electricity' — 2 killed, 38 injured in 'serious' Russian attack on capital
- Russian victory would cost Europe twice as much as supporting Ukraine, study finds
- Zelensky, Macron to hold talks on 'durable peace' in Paris Dec. 1
- 'Successful' Ukrainian naval drone strike disables 2 Russian shadow fleet tankers, source says
Officials hail 'difficult but productive' meeting, stress 'more work' ahead as Ukraine, US conclude peace deal talks in Florida
Ukrainian delegates concluded their meeting with U.S. officials in Florida on Nov. 30 as both parties continued negotiations on the Washington-backed peace plan aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war.
A Ukrainian delegation led by National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, at Witkoff's private gold club in Hallandale Beach, north of Miami.
In a press briefing following the meeting, Rubio called the meeting "very productive," adding that the talks focused on both the terms to end the war as well as Ukraine's "long-term prosperity."
"I thought we started laying the groundwork in Geneva. I think we continued that work in our communications throughout the week. I think we've built on that today, but there's more work to be done," Rubio told reporters.
"This is delicate, it's complicated, there are a lot of moving parts, and, obviously, there's another party involved here," Rubio added, referring to Russia.
In a post on social media, Umerov said after the meeting that Kyiv had achieved "substantial progress in advancing a dignified peace and in converging our positions with the American side" following a "difficult but productive round of negotiations."
"Our key objectives - security, sovereignty, and a reliable peace - remain unchanged and are shared by the American side," he added.
Umerov briefed President Volodymyr Zelensky via phone call following the meeting.
In a post on social media following the call with Umerov, Zelensky wrote that he was "grateful to America, President Trump’s team, and the President personally for the time being invested so intensively into determining the steps needed to end the war."
Neither delegation immediately provided specific details on the outcomes of the negotiations.
Amid the talks, a source with direct knowledge of the negotiation told CNN that the conversations were "tough but very constructive." The source added that the talks included discussion of some of "the most sensitive issues" surrounding a peace deal. "So far so good," they concluded.
Ahead of the meeting, Umerov wrote on X that he was "in constant contact with the President of Ukraine."
"We are working to secure real peace for Ukraine and reliable, long-term security guarantees," he added
The talks are built off the recent negotiations in Geneva, where U.S., Ukrainian, and European representatives worked to revise the original 28-point proposal — a plan that initially demanded sweeping concessions from Kyiv in line with Moscow's maximalist demands.
Talking to reporters ahead of the meeting, Rubio said the end goal is to secure a peace deal "that leaves Ukraine sovereign and independent and with an opportunity at real prosperity."
Sitting across from Rubio, Umerov expressed gratitude to Trump and the American people for the 10-month effort to end Russia's invasion, adding he is "looking forward to have a successful, productive meeting today."
The talks come as Ukraine is grappling with one of the most explosive political crises in recent years, with President Volodymyr Zelensky's top advisor, Andriy Yermak, resigning amid a major corruption investigation.
Yermak, Zelensky's long-term ally and regarded as the most powerful chief of staff in Ukraine's history, was expected to lead the negotiations before announcing his resignation on Nov. 28.
Ukrainian negotiators also include Deputy Foreign Minister Serhii Kyslytsia, Ambassador Olha Stefanishyna, Chief of the General Staff Andrii Hnatov, and Deputy Head of Military Intelligence Vadym Skibitskyi.
Ukraine and the U.S. have not fully disclosed the revised peace agreement reached in Geneva, which is said to have eased some of the harshest conditions imposed on Kyiv, with some issues still to be ironed out in subsequent talks.
The Kremlin has confirmed receipt of the proposal agreed on in Geneva, while Witkoff is expected to travel to Moscow early next week to continue negotiations with the Russian side.
An unnamed U.S. official told Axios that the White House aims to resolve two key outstanding issues with Ukraine: territory and security guarantees. Witkoff and Kushner reportedly hope to finalize discussions with the Ukrainian side before presenting the result to Putin on Dec. 2.
Witkoff, who was heavily involved in presenting the original peace plan, faced heightened scrutiny after a leak reportedly caught him coaching a Russian official on how to sway the White House.
The Wall Street Journal further reported on Nov. 28 that Witkoff and Russian officials have been promoting a "peace through business" approach to diplomacy for months, hoping to entice Trump with lucrative mineral deals and investment partnerships in exchange for helping Russia's economy emerge from isolation.
Speaking before the talks in Florida, Zelensky noted that the "American side is demonstrating a constructive approach, and in the coming days it is feasible to flesh out the steps to determine how to bring the war to a dignified end."
The Ukrainian president also held a phone calls with world leaders, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb — who maintains a friendly relationship with Trump.
"We discussed the situation in diplomacy and share a common view on the key issues," Zelensky wrote on social media following his talks with von der Leyen.
Kyiv has repeatedly called for increased international pressure on Moscow to force it to accept a ceasefire. Just hours before the talks began, Zelensky announced Ukraine is synchronizing its sanctions regime with Washington's sanctions targeting Russia's Lukoil and Rosneft energy giants.
Russia, meanwhile, continues to reject a ceasefire and presses its maximalist demands, including international recognition of its occupation of Ukrainian territories and the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Donbas.
'Half of Kyiv without electricity' — 2 killed, 38 injured in 'serious' Russian attack on capital
Russia launched a mass missile and drone attack against Kyiv overnight on Nov. 29, killing two people and injuring 38 others, including a child, Ukraine's State Emergency Service reported.
Kyiv Independent journalists on the ground reported hearing explosions and seeing drones shortly after 1 a.m. local time as authorities warned of a combined drone and missile attack. Explosions were heard throughout the night amid the hours-long attack.
Air raid alerts were activated across the entire country early in the overnight hours as Russia launched dozens of missiles and hundreds of drones towards the capital.
Renewed attacks on Kyiv came around 7 a.m. local time, when Russian forces again launched dozens of missiles, including Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, towards Kyiv.
Ukraine's Air Force said Russia launched 596 Shahed-type attack and decoy drones and 36 missiles of various types overnight. Air defenses intercepted 558 drones and 19 missiles.
Search and rescue operations concluded on the evening of Nov. 29, with a total of two dead and 38 injured, including one child.
Damage was reported at at least six locations across Kyiv, including to multi-story residential buildings, in the Sviatoshynskyi, Dniprovskyi, Darnytskyi, Shevchenkivskyi, and Solomyanskyi districts of the city, local officials reported.
Victor Mazepa, a Kyiv resident, told the Kyiv Independent that his wife and child were in a shelter during the attack, while he was in the bathroom when a Russian drone struck near their apartment.
"Here is my car. Was. But everyone is alive — that's the main thing," he said, pointing to the burned-out vehicle.
In the Dniprovskyi and Shevchenkivskyi districts, several apartments were destroyed in the upper floors of the buildings, while damage was reported between the 1st and 3rd floors of the high-rise buildings in the Sviatoshynskyi and Solomyanskyi districts.
Fires were reported in at least six apartment buildings across the city.
A deceased male victim was pulled from rubble following a Russian attack on the Sviatoshynskyi district of the city, Kyiv Oblast Military Administration head Tymur Tkachenko reported.
At least 17 of the injured victims have been hospitalized following the attack, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko wrote on Telegram. A child was injured in the Shevchenkivskyi district, according to Tkachenko.
Oleksandr, a Kyiv resident, told the Kyiv Independent that he and his family went to a metro station well before the explosions to take shelter, sensing the attack would be severe.
"When it started, it was obvious right away that this would be a serious attack," he said.
"We've been spending nights in the subway almost since 2022… but today it was very loud, and the station was packed with people."
Following a renewed attack at 7 a.m., Kyiv Independent journalists reported power outages in several parts of the city.
Mayor Klitschko later said that the western part of the city had no electricity, adding that emergency crews are working to restore the power supply. Klitschko also said that reduced water pressure was affecting residential buildings on the right bank of the capital.
Vitaliy Zaichenko, CEO of Ukrainian state grid operator Ukrenergo, told the Kyiv Independent that "transmission lines were damaged and almost half of Kyiv is without electricity."
Later in the day, Ukraine's largest private energy company, DTEK, said it had restored electricity to more than 360,000 households in Kyiv following the attack.
The company said its crews were continuing repair work "to restore power across all of Kyiv and the region as quickly as possible."
On the outskirts of the city, in Kyiv Oblast, one person was killed and at three people were injured as a result of the wider attack. A nine-story apartment building was damaged in strikes on the city of Brovary, Regional Governor Mykola Kalashnyk said.
The attacks killed a 55-year-old woman in the Fastiv district, Kalashnyk reported. The three wounded victims have been hospitalized.
Several homes in Kyiv Oblast, as well as 20 garages, were damaged in the attack, Ukraine's State Emergency Service reported.
During the attack, Russian drones crossed into Moldovan territory, forcing the country to temporarily close its airspace, Moldovan President Maia Sandu reported the morning of Nov. 29. Sandu condemned the attack on social media and reiterated Chisinau's support for Ukraine.
"This is not the language of diplomacy, nor of a country claiming to negotiate peace," she said.
Russia regularly attacks cities across Ukraine, often targeting civilian infrastructure and resulting in civilian casualties.
Just days ago, a mass Russian strike on Kyiv killed seven people and injured another 20.
Russian victory would cost Europe twice as much as supporting Ukraine, study finds
A Russian military victory in Ukraine would cost Europe twice as much as a Ukrainian victory, according to a new study by Corisk and the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs published on Nov. 25.
The study outlined two military and economic scenarios for Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine and highlighted the choices available to Europe as the United States pushes a peace plan that may be unfavorable to Ukraine and Europe as a whole.
Under the first scenario proposed by the researchers, Moscow's forces would continue their incremental advance and push westward toward the Dnipro River. As a result of their military victories, the Kremlin would force Ukraine to accept a negotiated settlement on terms beneficial to Moscow.
According to the report, such an outcome would amount to a Russian partial victory, giving the Kremlin influence over Ukraine's political and economic orientation, including EU and NATO membership.
The study further warned that Ukraine could lose half its territory, face long-term political destabilization, and risk democratic backsliding — or even state failure. Millions more Ukrainians — an estimated 6 to 11 million — could flee toward Europe, generating 524-952 billion euros ($606 billion - 1.1 trillion) in refugee-related expenses over four years.
Additional defense spending to reinforce NATO's eastern flank would raise Europe's total costs under Scenario 1 to €1.2-€1.6 trillion ($1.4-1.8 trillion).
Following a negotiated settlement to its invasion of Ukraine, Russia could then redirect military resources toward Moldova, the Baltic states, or the Nordic region, the report said. European governments would need to rapidly build up its defenses and deterrence in the Baltics and Arctic, while simultaneously dealing with rising political strain from migration and domestic polarization.
Under a second scenario — or a Ukrainian victory — the cost associated would be significantly less for Europe, the researchers found.
With the right level of support, Ukraine could rebuild superior combat power — similar to its successful 2022 counter offensives — and begin retaking occupied territory. In this scenario, Ukraine's battlefield momentum would force Russia into peace talks that safeguard Kyiv's vital interests.
To facilitate victory, Ukraine would require a rapid influx of military equipment. This would include "1,500-2,500 battle tanks and 2,000-3,000 artillery systems over one or two years... Ukraine will also need up to 8 million drones of all types, air defense, and strategic missile systems."
If these capabilities are delivered, the report argued, Ukraine could stop Russian advances, reclaim strategically important areas, and restore conditions for political normalization and economic recovery. A Ukrainian partial victory would also accelerate EU integration, encourage refugee returns, and reduce country-risk premiums for investors.
Europe's estimated cost for enabling such an outcome — including military aid, industrial support, and reduced refugee burdens — totals 522–838 billion euros ($605-$972 billion) over four years, roughly half the cost of a Russian victory. Confiscation of frozen Russian assets could further reduce European expenses by up to 50 percent.
Under both scenarios, Europe would take on the vast majority of support for Ukraine, as the study estimates the United States will eventually phase out its support for Ukrainian and European defenses.
Zelensky, Macron to hold talks on 'durable peace' in Paris Dec. 1
President Volodymyr Zelensky will visit Paris on Dec. 1 to discuss Ukraine's path to peace with French President Emmanuel Macron, the French government said in a statement on Nov. 29.
The leaders will discuss "the conditions of a just and durable peace" in Ukraine, according to Macron's office.
The scheduled talks come shortly after U.S., Ukrainian, and European representatives met in Geneva to negotiate the terms of a U.S.-backed peace plan. A delegation of Ukrainians is also currently bound for Washington to hold further negotiations with the U.S. side.
Zelensky last visited Paris two weeks ago, signing a defense treaty with Macron on Nov. 17. The leaders announced a long-term deal for Ukraine to acquire weapons from France, including 100 Rafale fighter jets.
Since then, Ukrainian and European partners have been scrambling to respond to U.S. President Donald Trump's latest push to end Russia's war against Ukraine. The original 28-point plan, crafted by Trump's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Kremlin aide Kirill Dimitriev, skewed heavily in favor of Moscow.
In subsequent talks, the plan has reportedly been cut down and revised to better reflect Ukraine's position, but negotiations remain ongoing — as have mass Russian drone and missile attacks and political turmoil in Kyiv.
Zelensky's meeting with Macron comes shortly after the resignation of Andriy Yermak, former Head of the Presidential Office and Zelensky's closest aide. Yermak submitted his resignation on Nov. 28 after the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) searched his premises as part of a corruption investigation.
Yermak was Ukraine's lead negotiator in the Geneva peace talks. The talks in Washington will be led by National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov, who is also being investigated for corruption. Umerov is expected to provide a report on the progress of the talks on Nov. 30.
'Successful' Ukrainian naval drone strike disables 2 Russian shadow fleet tankers, source says
Ukrainian Sea Baby naval drones struck two sanctioned Russian oil tankers, Kairos and Virat, on Nov. 28, disabling vessels tied to the Kremlin's shadow fleet, a Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) source told the Kyiv Independent on Nov. 29.
The operation targeted ships off Turkey's Black Sea coast that, according to the source, could have transported nearly $70 million worth of oil and helped Moscow bypass international sanctions.
The source told the Kyiv Independent that both tankers were en route to the Russian port of Novorossiysk to load cargo and were empty at the time of the attack.
The source said the drones "successfully completed their work on the ships," adding that the joint operation with the Ukrainian Navy dealt "a significant blow to Russian oil transportation."
Video provided by the source shows both tankers suffering critical damage.
The blasts targeted vessels with a long history of sanctions evasion.
The shadow fleet consists of tankers that rely on opaque ownership, flags of convenience, and irregular shipping practices to move Russian oil despite Western restrictions.
Bloomberg reported that Kairos was returning to Novorossiysk after delivering Urals crude to India. Virat, sanctioned by the U.S. and EU for Russian oil transport, spent much of the year idle in the western Black Sea after being added to the U.S. sanctions list on Jan. 10.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a statement following the strikes on the tankers, which were both sailing under the Gambian flag. The ministry expressed "concern" for safety in the region.
"These incidents, which occurred within Turkey's Exclusive Economic Zone in the Black Sea, have posed serious risks to the safety of navigation, life, property, and the environment in the region," the ministry said.
"We are maintaining our contacts with the relevant parties to prevent the spread and further escalation of the war across the Black Sea, and to avoid any negative impact on Turkey's economic interests and activities in the region."
Turkey is one of the few countries to maintain direct contact with both Kyiv and Moscow since the full-scale invasion began in 2022, leveraging its unique position on the Black Sea to act as a mediator between both sides.
Turkey controls the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits, making it the only NATO member able to restrict naval access to the Black Sea.
