Ukrainian chief negotiator Rustem Umerow reportedly met FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Dan Bongino twice and U.S. officials three times, according to Washington Post and Telegraph, while Ukrainian officials refuse to confirm.
US‑FBI Meetings With Ukrainian Negotiator
According to the Washington Post and The Telegraph, FBI Director Kash Patel and his deputy Dan Bongino met with Kyiv’s chief peace negotiator Rustem Umerow at least twice in recent weeks, as part of a U.S. pressure campaign to end the war.
The Telegraph added that some Western officials fear the Trump administration has opened a new channel of pressure on Kyiv to secure a peace agreement with Russia.
Umerow is also said to have met approximately three times in Miami with U.S. representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Umerow’s Statements on Meeting Claims
The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, headed by Umerow, released a statement denying the need to confirm or deny the reported meetings, stating they are carried out within the framework of state tasks and can be official but non‑public.
Kyiv’s Peace Talks Set for Berlin
On the weekend, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and European leaders in Berlin as part of ongoing peace talks.
Earlier this week, Zelensky spoke with high‑ranking Washington officials about “critical” security guarantees essential to any ceasefire agreement.
President Trump has increased pressure on Zelensky to accept the 28‑point peace plan proposed last month, though he acknowledges it is not a final agreement.
