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THE United States and Ukraine have announced that they have crafted an “updated and refined peace framework” aimed at ending the war with Russia, signalling a shift from an earlier version of a U.S.-drafted proposal that Kyiv and its allies considered too favourable to Moscow’s position.
Reuters reported on Monday that their joint statement followed what both sides described as “highly productive” talks in Geneva, though they offered no detailed explanation of how the revised outline addresses fundamental questions such as long-term security guarantees for Kyiv or the political parameters of a settlement.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who led the discussions, acknowledged that “work remained to be done” on several sensitive issues, including the future role of NATO.
He said negotiators had managed to narrow differences across a 28-point peace plan championed by President Donald Trump.
“And we have achieved that today in a very substantial way,” Rubio told reporters at the U.S. mission.
The talks unfolded against the backdrop of a public rebuke by Trump, who claimed on Truth Social that Ukraine had shown “zero gratitude” for American efforts.
Ukrainian officials hastened to counter that criticism, repeatedly expressing thanks for Washington’s support.
Andriy Yermak, who headed the Ukrainian delegation, went out of his way to thank Trump during a brief pause in the meeting; soon afterwards, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy issued his own message of appreciation.
European officials later joined the session in Geneva after putting forward an alternative reworking of the U.S. proposal.
Their amendments seek to dilute suggestions that Ukraine should accept strict limits on its armed forces or agree in advance to territorial concessions.
The European draft envisages a larger Ukrainian military than the U.S. plan allows and proposes that any potential discussions on land swaps begin from the current front line rather than from a predetermined map that presumes certain areas to be Russian.
Trump has given Zelenskiy until Thursday to respond to the plan, which calls on Ukraine to cede territory, accept restrictions on its military and renounce its ambition to join NATO.
He has insisted the proposal is not a final offer, while Rubio conceded that more time could be needed to resolve key points. He nevertheless expressed hope that progress could still be made by Thursday.
U.S. and Ukrainian officials have also discussed the possibility of Zelenskiy travelling to the United States, potentially as early as this week, to confer directly with Trump on the plan’s most contentious provisions, notably the question of territory, according to two people familiar with the deliberations. No date has been confirmed.
Tensions around the origins of the proposal have continued to cloud the process. European governments complained they were not consulted, while in Washington some senators questioned whether the plan reflected U.S. policy at all.
Senator Angus King said Rubio had told colleagues it was “essentially the wish-list of the Russians,” although Rubio has insisted the document was authored in Washington.
The diplomatic manoeuvring comes at a precarious moment for Ukraine. Russian forces have made incremental gains, though at heavy cost, including seizing parts of the strategic hub of Pokrovsk.
Ukrainian commanders warn of manpower shortages as they try to repel persistent Russian assaults. Meanwhile, relentless drone and missile strikes have crippled power and gas infrastructure, leaving millions facing routine outages of water, heating and electricity.
Zelenskiy is also under domestic strain due to a major corruption scandal that has implicated several ministers and close associates. He has warned that Ukraine risks losing both its “dignity and freedom” — and potentially U.S. support — as debates over the American peace plan intensify.
Kyiv had taken some encouragement from recent U.S. sanctions on Russia’s oil sector and from its own long-range strikes that have damaged Russian energy assets.
But critics argue that the draft peace framework shifts diplomatic leverage back towards Moscow at a time when Ukraine remains heavily reliant on U.S. weapons, intelligence and political backing to sustain its defence. - November 24, 2025