WASHINGTON/MOSCOW/OSLO - US and Russian negotiators are expected to hold talks in Miami, US state of Florida, this weekend over a peace deal aimed at ending the Ukraine crisis that has lasted nearly four years, US media outlet Politico reported on Wednesday.

The schedule remains in flux, and if they meet, the Trump administration will present to the Russian side the latest development following the talks among US, Ukrainian and European officials in Berlin last weekend, said the report, citing two people familiar with the matter.

US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner are expected to represent the US side while the Russian delegation is expected to include Russian President Vladimir Putin's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev, said the report.

Ukrainian national security adviser Rustem Umerov is also expected to meet with the US delegation separately in Miami or another location in the United States in the coming weekend.

The US, European and Ukrainian officials have reached consensus or significantly closed gaps on 90 percent of their differences on a 20-point US draft peace plan during the Berlin talks last weekend, officials with the Trump administration said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Ukraine could suspend its bid to join NATO in exchange for Western security guarantees to prevent renewed conflict with Russia if a peace agreement were reached, with Kiev seeking protections comparable to those granted to alliance members -- assurances the United States has so far not offered.

He said that Ukraine stands ready to agree on security guarantees based on NATO Article 5 as a part of a compromise in the peace process, the Ukrinform news agency reported. 

Special military operation

Putin said on Wednesday that the goals of Russia's special military operation (SMO) will be achieved.

"The past year has been an important milestone in fulfilling the tasks of the special military operation," Putin said while addressing an expanded meeting of the Russian Defense Ministry.

Putin underscored that Russia has the capability to accelerate its offensive pace in the SMO zone, adding that Russia's task of expanding the security buffer zone will be fulfilled, and the SMO's core goals will be realized.

"This year alone, more than 300 settlements have been liberated, including major cities that the enemy had turned into fortified strongholds equipped with long-term defensive structures," the Russian leader said.

He further said that the Russian military currently holds the strategic initiative along the entire Russia-Ukraine conflict front and is defeating Ukrainian forces, including the latter's elite units trained in the West.

Putin also announced that several submarines and surface ships have been commissioned into the Russian Navy this year, while the "Oreshnik" missile complex will enter combat duty by the end of 2025. 

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Peaceful solutions 

Meanwhile, he said Russia will continue to advocate for peaceful solutions to the Ukraine crisis while promoting regional security and stability.

Russia is currently seeking mutually beneficial and fair cooperation with the United States and European countries, Putin said.

Putin rejected claims portraying Russia as a threat to European nations, saying that such narratives are unfounded and fabricated.

The president emphasized that the Russian Armed Forces remain a key guarantee for the country's sovereignty, independence, security, development, and the maintenance of strategic balance.

Putin welcomed the progress made in dialogue with the United States on this issue, expressing hope that similar understandings can be reached with European countries. 

Gerasimovka settlement 

The Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday that units of its east group of forces have taken control of the Gerasimovka settlement in the Dnipropetrovsk region within the last 24 hours.

Additionally, Russian forces defeated Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel and destroyed or damaged equipment belonging to mechanized and assault brigades, as well as three assault regiments and a territorial defense brigade.

These engagements took place in Andriyivka and Gavrilovka settlements in the Dnipropetrovsk region, and in Ternovatoe, Gulyaipole and Kosovtsevo settlements in the Zaporizhzhia region. 

Russian assets

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has refused to back any scheme that may lead to further support for the war in Ukraine, including the use of frozen Russian assets, the News Agency of the Slovak Republic (TASR) reported on Wednesday.

"I fundamentally refuse to support anything tomorrow that would lead to money for war," Fico said during a session ahead of the upcoming European Council meeting, which will run from Thursday to Friday in Brussels.

He said he would not back the use of frozen assets if it's meant for supporting the Ukraine war. "If it's supposed to be part of a peace agreement, then why are we spending it on weapons?" asked Fico. The Slovak prime minister said he would rather support the assets to be used in Ukraine's reconstruction.

He also said that Slovakia is ready to help Ukraine on a bilateral basis in areas including demining.

According to Fico, providing money for the war in Ukraine means prolonging it, and the European Union has no solution to the conflict, TASR reported. 

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Air defense aid

The Norwegian government on Wednesday announced a new military aid package for Ukraine valued at about 3.2 billion Norwegian kroner ($314 million), focusing on ammunition for F-16 fighter jets and advanced air defense systems.

The funding is being facilitated through the JUMPSTART initiative, a mechanism based on the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. This allows Norway to procure complete military equipment and support services directly from the US Department of Defense to ensure rapid delivery.

The government said the package will be delivered soon. It includes F-16 ammunition worth over 1 billion kroner and funds a system that upgrades low-cost rockets into precision-guided weapons for use by aircraft or ground air defenses. Another 500 million kroner is allocated for S-300 surface-to-air missiles.

With this disbursement, Norway's total contribution through the JUMPSTART scheme in 2025 has reached nearly 10 billion Norwegian kroner.