Zelensky Urges US to Intensify Pressure on Russia as Miami Talks Loom

{ "title": "Zelensky Urges US to Intensify Pressure on Russia as Miami Talks Loom", "article": "Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on the United States to increase pressure on Russia to end the war, emphasizing that only Washington has the power to persuade Moscow to cease hostilities. Zelensky's comments came as diplomats converged on Miami for fresh talks, following a proposal by the US for the first face-to-face negotiations between Ukraine and Russia in six months. Zelensky expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of these negotiations, citing past experiences where direct talks have failed to yield significant progress. He stressed that the US must apply 'full pressure' on Russia, which does not yet feel the weight of sufficient sanctions and economic penalties. The Ukrainian leader also urged Washington to provide more military aid and economic support to Ukraine. Meanwhile, Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev arrived in Miami, where Ukrainian and European teams have gathered for the negotiations, mediated by US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The talks aim to establish a peace plan that would offer security guarantees to Ukraine, but Kyiv is likely to be expected to cede some territory, a prospect that has sparked resentment among many Ukrainians. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has assured Ukraine that it will not be forced into any agreement, and that there will be no peace deal unless Ukraine agrees to it. The last time Ukrainian and Russian envoys held direct talks was in July in Istanbul, which led to prisoner swaps but little else in the way of concrete progress. The Florida talks mark a step forward from previous negotiations, where the Americans held separate talks with each side in different locations. However, it remains unclear whether Russian envoy Dmitriev will hold direct talks with European negotiators, given the strained relations between the two sides. In a separate development, Russia has vowed to press ahead with its military offensive in Ukraine, despite President Vladimir Putin's suggestion that Moscow could pause its strikes to allow Ukraine to hold a presidential ballot. The death toll in Ukraine's Black Sea Odesa region from a recent Russian ballistic missile strike has risen to eight, with dozens wounded in the attack."