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Ukraine, US Agree on Direction for New Peace Plan
Ukraine says it has reached a common understanding with the United States on a revised peace proposal aimed at ending the war with Russia.
The plan, built on a 28-point document first presented to Kyiv last week, was adjusted during weekend discussions between American and Ukrainian officials in Geneva.
US President Donald Trump confirmed the updates, saying the proposal had been fine-tuned with fresh input from both sides.
Trump has asked his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, to travel to Moscow next week to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.
At the same time, US Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll is expected to hold talks with Ukraine’s leaders this week as part of efforts to move negotiations forward.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that he was ready to meet Trump to address the remaining sensitive areas in the plan, expressing hope that the meeting would take place before the end of the month.
He stressed that US involvement remained key to any progress, adding that Russia pays close attention to American influence.
Zelensky earlier noted that several provisions in the original draft had been removed. Trump also told reporters that the first version was “just a map” and not a full plan, saying that the updated proposal would involve land adjustments on both sides and attempts to resolve border issues.
The Kremlin, however, said it had not yet received the revised document. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that Moscow supported the initial framework but could view the situation differently if the changes were extensive. He also accused European countries of undermining Washington’s efforts.
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American officials did not publicly respond to Russia’s concerns, although Driscoll held meetings with Russian representatives in Abu Dhabi on Monday and Tuesday.
Key disagreements between Moscow and Kyiv remain unresolved, including Ukraine’s security guarantees and control of contested territories in the east.
Russia still insists on a full Ukrainian withdrawal from Donetsk and Luhansk, and maintains control of Crimea as well as parts of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
European leaders were cautious about the possibility of a breakthrough. French President Emmanuel Macron said he saw no sign that Russia wanted a ceasefire, and the UK government warned that the path to peace remained long and difficult.
On Tuesday, Macron and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer led a meeting of a coalition of Ukraine’s allies, who have pledged continued assistance even in the event of a ceasefire.
They agreed with the US to form a task force to speed up work on the type of security guarantees Ukraine could receive.
The talks come after weeks of slow diplomacy, triggered by a leak of the original US-backed proposal.
While Putin had earlier said the document could serve as a basis for discussion, Zelensky rejected parts of it that he said challenged Ukraine’s dignity. After new changes, both Ukraine and the US now say progress has been made.
Meanwhile, fighting continued on Tuesday night, with both sides reporting strikes in Zaporizhzhia. Ukrainian officials said at least seven people were injured, while the Russian-installed administration reported power cuts affecting thousands.
The war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, has killed or injured tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians and displaced millions across Ukraine.
