GENEVA — The United States and Ukraine said they had created an “updated and refined peace framework” to end the war with Russia that apparently modified an earlier plan drafted by the Trump administration which Kyiv and its allies saw as too sympathetic to Moscow.
In a joint statement released after talks in Geneva between US and Ukrainian delegations, the two sides said their discussion was “highly productive” and said they would continue in coming days. They did not provide specifics about a host of issues that must be resolved, including how to guarantee Kyiv’s security from the threat posed by Russia.
In a separate statement, the White House said the new version included strengthened security guarantees, and that the Ukrainian delegation had said it “reflects their national interests.” Ukrainian officials did not provide a separate statement of their own and were not immediately available for comment.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who led the talks, told reporters in Geneva that work remained to be done on questions including the role of NATO, but that his team had narrowed down unresolved issues in a 28-point peace plan for Ukraine championed by President Donald Trump.
Earlier, Mr. Trump said Ukraine had not been grateful for American efforts over the war, prompting Ukrainian officials to stress their gratitude to the US president for his support.
European officials joined the US and Ukrainian delegations for talks after crafting a modified version of the US plan that pushes back on proposed limits to Kyiv’s armed forces and mooted territorial concessions.
The European plan proposes that Ukraine be granted a larger military than under the US plan and that talks on land swaps should start from the front line rather than a pre-determined view of which areas should be considered Russian.
Mr. Trump has said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has until Thursday to approve the plan, which calls on Ukraine to cede territory, accept limits on its military and renounce ambitions to join NATO.
For many Ukrainians, including soldiers fighting on the front lines, such terms would amount to capitulation after nearly four years of fighting in Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War Two. Mr. Trump has said his proposal is not a final offer.
Mr. Rubio said the United States still needed time to address the pending issues. He hoped a deal could be reached by Thursday but suggested that it could also take longer.
US and Ukrainian officials were discussing the possibility of Mr. Zelenskiy travelling to the United States, maybe as early as this week, to discuss the US peace plan with Mr. Trump, two sources familiar with the matter said on Sunday.
The main idea is that they would discuss the most sensitive issues in the peace plan, such as the matter of territory, one of the sources said. There is no confirmed date for now, the source added.
ORIGIN OF US PLAN STIRS CONTROVERSY
The main talks between US and Ukrainian officials got under way in a stiff atmosphere at the US mission, soon after Mr. Trump complained in a Truth Social post that Ukraine’s leadership had shown “zero gratitude” to the US for its efforts and Europe continued to buy Russian oil.
Mr. Rubio interrupted the meeting to speak to reporters, saying the talks had been probably the best the US had held with Ukraine since Mr. Trump returned to power.
“Obviously this will ultimately have to be signed off with our presidents, although I feel very comfortable about that happening given the progress we’ve made,” said Mr. Rubio.
Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian delegation, was at pains to thank Mr. Trump for his commitment to Kyiv during the brief interlude. Minutes later, Mr. Zelenskiy also thanked Mr. Trump.
Mr. Yermak did not reappear with Mr. Rubio when the talks ended.
Mr. Rubio has departed Geneva en route back to Washington, a senior State Department official said.
Since the US plan was announced, there has been confusion about who was involved in drawing it up. European allies said they had not been consulted.
Before heading to Geneva, Mr. Rubio insisted on X that Washington had authored the plan after remarks from some US senators suggesting otherwise.
Senator Angus King said Mr. Rubio had told senators the plan was not the administration’s position, but “essentially the wish-list of the Russians.”
A PERILOUS MOMENT FOR UKRAINE
The talks come at a perilous moment for Kyiv.
Russia has been slowly making gains on parts of the front, though Western and Ukrainian officials say they have been extremely costly in terms of lives lost.
The transportation hub of Pokrovsk has been partially taken by Russian forces and Ukrainian commanders say they do not have enough soldiers to prevent small, persistent incursions.
Ukraine’s power and gas facilities have been pummelled by drone and missile attacks, meaning millions of people are without water, heating and power for hours each day.
Mr. Zelenskiy himself has been under pressure domestically after a major corruption scandal broke, ensnaring some of his ministers and people in his close entourage.
He has warned that Ukraine risked losing its dignity and freedom – or Washington’s backing – over the US plan.
Kyiv had taken heart in recent weeks after the United States tightened sanctions on Russia’s oil sector, the main source of funding for the war, while its own long-range drone and missile strikes have caused considerable damage to the industry.
But the draft peace plan appears to hand the diplomatic advantage back to Moscow. Ukraine relies heavily on US intelligence and weapons to sustain its war against Russia. — Reuters
