Delegations from Ukraine and Europe arrived in Miami on Friday for United States-led peace talks aimed at ending the Russian invasion, as Washington weighed commercial energy deals involving Nord Stream pipelines and Lukoil assets under proposals discussed by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Top-level officials from Ukraine and Europe gathered in Florida on Friday for a new round of diplomatic negotiations to halt the sweeping Russian military offensive. The diplomatic push follows a fresh wave of attacks that struck Ukrainian urban centers and caused widespread civilian casualties.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed to reporters that Ukrainian negotiators would meet with American special representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The Ukrainian delegation includes Presidential Office Head Kyrylo Budanov, Deputy Head Sergiy Kyslytsya, Foreign Intelligence Service Head Rustem Umerov, and lawmaker Davyd Arakhamia.
I am not yet ready to say what is realistic and what is more realistic. In principle, I understand, but I do not want to say anything because Russia, as usual, will do the opposite just to oppose us. Ukrainian
Zelenskiy noted that he had spoken with the American side three times in recent days. European officials are participating in the US-led diplomatic process, as European nations handle changing security rules and supply billions in financial and military support for Kyiv.
Officials Discuss Energy Assets and Commercial Proposals
Parallel to the diplomatic meetings, U.S. and Russian representatives explored commercial arrangements that could reshape transatlantic energy trade. Discussions between Kushner and Kirill Dmitriev examined incorporating American investors into the Nord Stream natural gas pipeline network, which suffered severe damage from underwater explosions in September 2022.
The talks extended beyond pipeline infrastructure. Negotiators also reviewed the potential sale of international assets belonging to Russian energy company Lukoil, including refineries, fuel stations, and oil fields across Europe and other regions. A proposed consortium involving the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation alongside Middle Eastern investors from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates could acquire these holdings.
While U.S. negotiators viewed potential commercial openings as a way to encourage dialogue, the proposals encountered political and legal roadblocks in Europe. Existing American and European Union sanctions prohibit operating the Nord Stream lines, and German officials maintained their opposition to reviving Russian pipeline imports.
Berlin Rejects Russian Gas Proposals
German authorities pushed back against the prospect of restoring Russian gas flows through the Baltic Sea corridor. The German Ministry for Economy and Energy stated that the pipelines and Russian gas remain under active sanctions, noting that Berlin has developed alternative energy sources and that restarting the infrastructure requires federal government approval which the administration does not support.
Before the infrastructure was disabled in 2022, Germany relied on Russia for more than half of its natural gas. Lawmakers and energy experts in Berlin warned that commercial deals bypassing European consensus carry heavy potential costs for the continent.
Poland and Baltic nations rejected the renewal of direct energy ties with Moscow, viewing any restoration of Nord Stream capacity as a threat to regional security. Within Germany, divisions persisted as the Alternative for Germany party continued to advocate for importing Russian gas.
Strikes Target Data Center Infrastructure
As delegations prepared for the Miami discussions, fighting on the ground continued to target critical technological and industrial infrastructure. Zelenskyy addressed recent strikes on a technology data center operated by Russian firm Yandex in the Ryazan region.
We always respond in the same way. As for the data centers, you all know that they (Russia) attacked our data centers and continue to attack them. And we responded. Ukrainian
The Ukrainian leader emphasized that Kyiv’s forces avoid targeting children while warning that adults would soon receive a separate response. Meanwhile, intelligence assessments highlighted concerns over hybrid sabotage operations and airspace violations across the continent.
Will commercial models for pipeline ownership or asset transfers overcome European regulatory opposition and existing sanctions regimes?