Russia says ‘productive’ Florida talks with U.S. envoys as oil sanctions ease; Ukraine reports teen killed in strike
Florida — A top envoy for Russian President Vladimir Putin said he took part in a “productive meeting” with U.S. negotiators in Florida, in what he described as the first talks between Moscow and Washington since the start of the Iran war. The engagement comes days after the United States lifted some sanctions on Russian oil imposed after Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, a move framed as an effort to ease energy prices as conflict spreads in the Middle East.
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Kirill Dmitriev, identified as a Russian negotiator, posted thanks on X to “Steve, Jared, and Josh,” a reference to U.S. President Donald Trump’s global envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and White House senior adviser Josh Gruenbaum. Dmitriev said the teams had held wide-ranging discussions and would remain in contact.
Witkoff separately posted that the sides “discussed a variety of topics and agreed to stay in touch.” Neither side detailed specific outcomes from the session.
Talks follow partial easing of oil sanctions
The Florida discussions followed Washington’s decision earlier this week to roll back some restrictions on Russian oil. Those sanctions were enacted in response to Russia’s full-scale assault on Ukraine, now in its third year. The latest U.S. step was presented as a bid to stabilize prices as war engulfs parts of the Middle East.
After the meeting, Dmitriev said Washington was “beginning to better understand” the systemic role of Russian energy in global markets. On Telegram, he said the sides “discussed promising projects that could contribute to the restoration of Russian-American relations and the current crisis on global energy markets.”
“Today, many countries, primarily the United States, are beginning to better understand the key, systemic role of Russian oil and gas in ensuring the stability of the global economy, as well as the ineffectiveness and destructive nature of sanctions against Russia,” he wrote.
The comments underscore Moscow’s push to leverage energy diplomacy at a moment of wider geopolitical strain. While the U.S. has maintained a broad sanctions regime against Russia since the 2022 invasion, even marginal shifts in energy policy can ripple through oil markets and create openings for limited dialogue. Dmitriev’s remarks did not indicate whether any further steps were under consideration by either side.
Ukraine says Russian strike kills 15-year-old girl
In Ukraine, authorities said a Russian strike on a northern settlement killed a 15-year-old girl and wounded her parents. “The enemy cynically attacked a peaceful settlement in Menska,” the city council said in a Facebook post this morning, reporting damage to two residential buildings.
“Unfortunately, the enemy attack took the life of a 15-year-old girl, and her parents were wounded,” the post added. Emergency responders were working to extinguish a fire at the site of the overnight attack, officials said.
The deadly strike punctuated another day of violence far from the Florida talks, highlighting the gap between limited diplomatic engagement and the grinding realities of the battlefield. Ukraine has accused Russia of escalating attacks on civilian infrastructure as winter recedes, while Russia has continued to target what it describes as military and energy facilities.
Amid the widening conflicts and volatile energy markets, both Washington and Moscow offered few specifics about next steps after the Florida meeting. Witkoff’s and Dmitriev’s postings suggested an open channel but left unclear whether the dialogue would expand beyond energy issues or produce any concrete measures.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
