U.S. officials scrutinize Miami talks between Trump envoys and Russian envoy

U.S. officials and lawmakers are increasingly alarmed over a late-October meeting in Miami where Trump administration representatives met with Kirill Dmitriev, a Russian envoy under U.S. sanctions, to draft a plan to end the war in Ukraine. The meeting included special envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and Dmitriev, who heads the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), one of Russia’s largest sovereign wealth funds. Dmitriev, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has met with Witkoff several times this year, and the Trump administration issued a special waiver allowing his entry despite sanctions barring Americans from dealing with him or his fund.

The meeting produced a 28-point peace plan, which surprised U.S. officials and caused confusion in Washington and European capitals. Critics say the plan heavily favors Russian interests, calling for Ukraine to recognize Crimea as Russian, cede parts of its east, and pledge not to join NATO. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy vowed he would not betray his country’s interests. The plan’s unilateral creation and presentation via Turkey before direct engagement with Kyiv has raised concerns that it bypassed proper U.S. interagency processes, undermining coordination with the State Department, National Security Council, and officials working on Ukraine negotiations.

Intelligence and security concerns also arose because Dmitriev, despite sanctions, has extensive ties with Western governments and businesses. Lawmakers like Senator Roger Wicker warned the plan could force Ukraine into concessions to Russia, while experts said it likely disadvantages Kyiv and may be used by Moscow to seek further demands. The White House described the plan as a “win-win scenario” offering security and economic incentives to both sides, while Trump said he expected Zelenskiy to sign by Thanksgiving, warning that U.S. military assistance could be reduced if Ukraine refused.

The Miami meeting has sparked scrutiny over whether personal influence from Witkoff and Kushner led to a plan favoring Russian interests, raising concerns about U.S. policy, Ukraine’s position, and potential diplomatic and security risks.