The latest round of Ukraine peace discussions opened in Switzerland with more tension than optimism. Top officials from the United States, Ukraine, and Europe met in Geneva to go over Washington’s controversial draft peace plan—a proposal critics say bends far too close to Russia’s long-standing demands.
Senior U.S. officials, including Army Secretary Daniel P. Driscoll and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, arrived this weekend for closed-door talks. According to U.S. sources, early conversations with the Ukrainian side were “positive and constructive,” with more formal sessions planned throughout Sunday.
Donald Trump signaled he’s still open to negotiation, telling reporters this isn’t his “last offer.” But only a day later, he fired off a sharp complaint, claiming Ukraine’s leadership has shown “zero gratitude” for America’s efforts while Europe keeps buying Russian oil. The message landed hard in Kyiv, where officials insist they’re approaching the talks seriously.
Andriy Yermak, who heads Zelenskyy’s office and leads Ukraine’s delegation, said the team arrived in “a very constructive mood.” Rustem Umerov, head of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, added that parts of the U.S. proposal do reflect Ukrainian priorities, though details are still being hashed out.
Behind the scenes, the U.S. is also preparing for a separate meeting with Russian representatives—though Washington hasn’t disclosed where that will happen.
Kyiv is under heavy pressure. A senior Ukrainian official told ABC News that the U.S. has threatened to halt all assistance—including air defense missiles and intelligence support—if Ukraine refuses the plan. Zelenskyy confirmed that negotiations are underway, noting that diplomacy has finally “reinvigorated,” but he warned his country is facing one of its most difficult moments since the war began.
The 28-point plan circulating between Washington, Kyiv, and Moscow includes some sweeping concessions: Ukraine would cut its military by more than half, give up land still under its control, and abandon long-range weapons. Russia would keep nearly all territory it currently occupies, plus receive recognition of its 2014 annexation of Crimea.
Putin confirmed the Kremlin received the document, calling it a possible foundation for peace—though he claimed Ukraine has yet to agree. European allies, meanwhile, say they were left in the dark about how the plan was crafted, leading to confusion about who actually authored it. Rubio insists the U.S. wrote it, but several senators said he privately described it as a proposal received from Russia.
European leaders have openly questioned the whole process. Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk bluntly asked for clarity on who created the plan before Europe moves forward. And 48 European and Ukrainian officials sent an open letter warning Trump that “any appeasement of Russia” would be morally unacceptable.
On the ground, the situation in Ukraine remains grim. Russia continues nighttime drone barrages—launching nearly a hundred drones over the weekend. Ukraine shot down most of them, but the attacks are wearing down its energy grid and pushing millions into hours-long outages.
Ukraine’s military positions are also under strain. Russian forces have made slow but costly gains near Pokrovsk, and Ukrainian commanders say they’re short on soldiers to hold back creeping advances.
Still, Europe has started drafting its own version of a peace plan, based on the U.S. proposal but with adjustments. That draft has already been sent to Kyiv and Washington.
Zelenskyy says the goal is simple: end the bloodshed without sacrificing the country’s dignity, security, or independence. What hangs in the balance now is not just territory—but Ukraine’s future relationship with the United States, and the broader direction of the war.
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