US envoys bring new proposals to Miami talks after Russian strikes kill more than 70 Ukrainians in a week

Officials from Ukraine, Europe and the United States are meeting in Miami to try to break the deadlock in the war. Russian strikes on Ukraine killed more than 70 people this week. Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Trump's envoys, plan to present what Axios called "new ideas and proposals". The talks are expected to last two days and to cover security guarantees and a post-war economic plan. Washington also invited national security advisers from Britain, France and Germany, together with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and European Union officials. Russia is not taking part.

One proposal is a partial ceasefire that would stop attacks on energy infrastructure and grain shipments. Ukraine has said it would accept such a step, and Russia has shown little interest. Strikes on energy infrastructure continued while the parties prepared for the meeting. On October 8, more than 3 million Kyiv residents lost power after a Russian attack on an energy facility, and Britain announced a $71 million winter aid package.

Strikes also continued inside Russia. The governor of the Kaluga region said nine people were injured, five of them hospitalized, after drone attacks overnight. He said air defenses shot down 26 drones over the region, including over the city of Kaluga.

Money matters as much as the talks. Russian state news agency TASS reported that Ukraine needs an additional $67 billion to pay for military spending in 2027, against its own revenues of $71.7 billion. Moscow's state media present the figure as proof that Kyiv depends on Western money. For Ukraine's backers, it is the size of the bill they would have to cover if the war continues into 2027.