President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on Ukraine’s partners to maintain strong economic pressure on Russia as Ukrainian and United States officials enter a second day of discussions aimed at ending the war that has lasted more than four years.

Russian delegates did not attend the meeting, which began on Saturday in Florida. They had initially been expected to participate in talks that were previously scheduled to take place in the United Arab Emirates before regional tensions linked to the US-Israeli conflict with Iran altered the plans.

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The American delegation is headed by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump.

Writing on X on Sunday, Zelenskyy urged stronger measures against Moscow’s so-called shadow fleet of oil tankers and called for cutting off the revenues that fund Russia’s war effort.

“In just one week, Russia launched nearly 1,550 attack drones at Ukraine, along with more than 1,260 guided aerial bombs and two missiles. During that same period, as sanctions pressure eased, Russia expanded its crude oil sales to support its military campaign,” Zelenskyy stated.

“These earnings create a sense of impunity and allow Russia to continue its aggression. Pressure must therefore be sustained, and sanctions must be enforced effectively. Russia’s shadow fleet should not feel secure in European waters or anywhere else,” he added.

The Ukrainian leader emphasized that tankers contributing to Russia’s war financing “can and must be stopped and blocked, not simply allowed to continue operating.”

The term shadow fleet refers to a network of ships used to transport Russian oil and gas despite Western sanctions imposed in response to the invasion of Ukraine.

Last week, the French Navy detained an oil tanker in the western Mediterranean. French President Emmanuel Macron said the vessel was linked to Russia’s shadow fleet, which has been used to bypass sanctions and maintain oil exports.

This fleet has expanded since Western restrictions targeted Moscow’s energy revenues, helping Russia sustain the flow of oil exports despite international efforts to curb them.

Talks continue

The previous direct meeting between Ukrainian and Russian representatives took place in February in Geneva, Switzerland. That round ended without tangible results, as disputes over territorial control remained unresolved.

Moscow has consistently maintained that it will not accept any peace agreement requiring it to relinquish territory seized during the conflict. Kyiv, for its part, insists it cannot endorse a settlement that does not restore its territorial integrity.

Proposals reportedly included in the US-backed peace framework involve holding a presidential election in Ukraine and considering territorial compromises.

Zelenskyy, whose presidential term has formally expired, is facing renewed calls from Trump to organize elections as Washington increases pressure on Kyiv to move toward a negotiated settlement.

Ukrainian legislation prohibits elections while martial law is in effect. However, Zelenskyy has said the country would be prepared to hold democratic elections if the United States helped secure a two-month ceasefire, allowing time to organize voting infrastructure and ensure adequate security guarantees.