---
title: "Ukraine, US End Florida Talks as Zelensky Pushes for Tighter Sanctions on Russia"
date: 2026-03-22
modified: 2026-03-23
author: ""
url: https://panamadaily.news/2026/03/22/ukraine-us-talks-zelensky-sanctions/
categories:
  - "Politics"
  - "World"
tags:
  - "Jared Kushner"
  - "Russia"
  - "sanctions"
  - "Steve Witkoff"
  - "Ukraine"
  - "United States"
---

# Ukraine, US End Florida Talks as Zelensky Pushes for Tighter Sanctions on Russia

Ukrainian and US delegations wrapped up a second day of talks in Florida as President Volodymyr Zelensky urged Washington to maintain pressure on Moscow through stronger sanctions. The meetings — aimed at exploring ways to end the four-year war with Russia — proceeded without Russian representatives, who had been expected to attend earlier plans for negotiations in Abu Dhabi.

## What Happened

Delegations from Ukraine and the United States concluded a two-day series of discussions in Florida that opened on Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday. The talks focused on finding pathways to end the conflict between Ukraine and Russia that has endured for four years.

Russian representatives were not present at the Florida meetings. They had originally been expected to participate in negotiations that were planned to take place in Abu Dhabi, but those arrangements did not materialize for the Florida sessions.

The US delegation was led by special envoy Steve Witkoff alongside Jared Kushner, who is US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law. Officials characterised the talks as exploratory; public reporting released around the meetings emphasised diplomatic engagement between Kyiv and Washington while Russia remained absent from the venue.

## Background

The war between Russia and Ukraine, now in its fourth year, has prompted wide-ranging international responses including diplomatic efforts, sanctions and military aid from Western governments. Negotiations to end the fighting have moved between different venues and mediators, with past talks held in several international locations and involving a mix of state and special envoy participants.

Earlier plans referenced Abu Dhabi as a potential host for talks that would include Russian representatives. The shift to Florida and the absence of Russia underscore the difficulty of convening direct, multilateral negotiations that include all principal parties to the conflict.

## Why It Matters

Even without Russia at the table, talks between Ukraine and the US are consequential because they signal Washington’s continued diplomatic engagement and Ukraine’s effort to secure international backing, particularly for measures that could sustain pressure on Moscow. Zelensky’s public call for sustained or increased sanctions highlights Kyiv’s strategy of leveraging allied economic and political tools alongside battlefield resistance.

For readers in Panama and Latin America, developments in the Ukraine conflict matter indirectly. Prolonged fighting and expanded sanctions can affect global energy prices, shipping routes and commodity markets — all of which influence freight costs and trade flows that transit the Panama Canal and regional ports. The diplomatic dynamics also shape wider geopolitical alignments and the international regulatory environment around sanctions enforcement, which can have secondary economic and legal implications for businesses operating in global markets.

With Russia absent from the Florida talks, prospects for an immediate breakthrough remain uncertain. Still, bilateral and multilateral engagement between Kyiv and influential partners like the United States will likely continue to shape the international response to the conflict and the tools used to press for de-escalation.