Senior officials from the United States and Ukraine concluded a day of talks in Geneva on the proposed American peace plan to end the war with Russia.
Following the discussions, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the meetings as “the most productive and meaningful in this process so far”, while emphasizing that substantial work remains before a final agreement can be reached.
“We have a very good working product already built from the contributions of all parties involved, and today we reviewed many of these points in detail. We made good progress. We are working to make adjustments in hopes of narrowing the gaps further, moving toward something both Ukraine and, certainly, the US can be satisfied with,” Rubio said.
Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian Presidential Office, echoed this assessment, calling the sessions “very productive.” He stressed that progress is being made toward a fair and sustainable peace, which he said the Ukrainian people deserve and urgently need.
However, the discussions remain fraught with tension and controversial proposals. On Friday, US President Donald Trump set a deadline for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to approve a 28‑point plan, which would require Ukraine to cede portions of territory, accept limitations on its armed forces, and abandon NATO aspirations — provisions widely criticized in Kyiv as unacceptable concessions to Russia.
Meanwhile, European leaders introduced an alternative 24‑point plan, which differs sharply from Trump’s proposals. Notably, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen rejected key points of the US plan, asserting that borders cannot be changed by force and that Ukraine’s military strength should not be curtailed.
President Zelensky reaffirmed Ukraine’s position that Russia initiated the war and refuses to end it. He characterized the conflict not only as a territorial invasion but as an attempt to impose Russia’s “right to wage war” and to subjugate Ukraine.
“This is why we approach every point, every step toward peace, with such care. Everything must be done correctly to end this war for good and prevent it from recurring,” Zelensky said.
The negotiations were led by Andriy Yermak for Ukraine, and by Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Dan Driscoll, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner for the US.
With the war now entering its fourth year, analysts warn that while diplomatic efforts are advancing, the gap between US, European, and Ukrainian priorities remains significant, raising doubts over whether a lasting and enforceable agreement can be achieved without further concessions from Russia.
