The United States and Ukraine announced on Sunday that negotiators have created an updated and more refined peace framework, signaling steady progress in their efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war. According to a joint statement, the discussions in Geneva were “highly productive,” and both sides will continue working on the plan in the coming days.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the teams made a “tremendous amount of progress,” though some issues still need to be finalized before presenting the proposal to Russia. The first draft of the US-backed plan, leaked earlier last week, received cautious approval from Moscow but faced criticism from Kyiv and several European states who felt it leaned too much in Russia’s favor.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia has not yet been briefed on the results of the Geneva talks.
Zelensky: A Critical Moment for Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Swedish lawmakers that this is a “critical moment” for the country. He warned that President Putin is pushing for international recognition of territories Russia has taken—something Ukraine views as unacceptable. Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine has kept “sensitive points,” including the release of Ukrainian POWs, on the negotiation table.
He added that there are encouraging “signals” that President Trump’s team is taking Ukraine’s position seriously.
Key Points of the Proposed Plan
While the full document has not been released, leaked portions reveal several controversial terms:
- Ukraine would withdraw from parts of eastern Donetsk still under its control.
- International recognition of Russia’s control over Donetsk, Luhansk, and Crimea.
- Freezing frontlines in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
- Reducing Ukraine’s military from 880,000 to 600,000 personnel.
- Ukraine would agree not to pursue NATO membership.
- Russia would be offered reintegration into the global economy, including a potential return to the G8.
- NATO would halt further expansion, and Russia would be expected not to invade neighboring countries.
Trump previously pressured Ukraine to accept the proposal by Thursday, but later clarified that the draft was not a final offer.
European Reactions and Alternative Proposals
European leaders, including Finland’s President Alexander Stubb, Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, acknowledged progress but stressed that major issues remain unresolved. They also insisted that Europe and NATO must have a decisive role in any final deal.
Reports suggest that the UK, France, and Germany have drafted an alternative peace plan, though US Secretary Rubio denied knowledge of this document.
Next Steps
Rubio said he is optimistic a finalized agreement could emerge soon, though timing remains uncertain. The State Department reiterated that the plan now being negotiated was created by the US—with input from Kyiv and Moscow—after some US senators falsely claimed it was originally a Russian draft.
As talks continue, Ukraine, the US, and European allies aim to align on a peace framework that protects Ukrainian sovereignty while pushing the conflict toward a diplomatic resolution.
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