US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reported “tremendous” and “very substantial” progress following a day of high-stakes meetings with Ukrainian and European officials in Geneva on a proposal to halt the nearly four-year conflict in Ukraine.
The head of Ukraine’s delegation, Andriy Yermak (the Chief of Staff to President Zelenskyy), also confirmed the positive tone, telling reporters that the sides had made “very good progress” and were “moving forward to the just and lasting peace Ukrainian people deserve.” A White House statement released after the meeting further described the discussions as “highly productive,” resulting in an “updated and refined peace framework.”
Controversy Over the 28-Point Plan
The urgency for the talks stems from the deadline set by US President Donald Trump, who had given Ukraine until November 27 (Thanksgiving in the US) to approve his controversial 28-point peace plan.
The original draft of the plan had alarmed Kyiv and its European allies because it reportedly requires the invaded country to:
- Cede territory to Russia (including de facto recognition of Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk).
- Cut the size of its military.
- Pledge never to join NATO in the future.
Rubio, whose delegation also included Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and diplomatic envoy Steve Witkoff, assured reporters that the work to narrow the areas of disagreement had advanced. He stated, “I honestly believe we’ll get there,” though he cautioned that the final agreement would still need to be presented to the Kremlin, noting, “Obviously, the Russians get a vote.”
Trump’s ‘Zero Gratitude’ Remark
The diplomatic negotiations were momentarily overshadowed by a critical post from President Trump on his Truth Social platform, where he lashed out at Ukraine:
“UKRAINE ‘LEADERSHIP’ HAS EXPRESSED ZERO GRATITUDE FOR OUR EFFORTS,”
Trump also accused European countries of not doing enough to stop the war. Shortly after, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded on X, expressing that his country was “grateful to the United States… and personally to President Trump” for the assistance.
Rubio later suggested Trump was “quite pleased at the reports we’ve given him about the amount of progress that’s been made,” and softened the strict November 27 deadline, saying the goal is to “get this done as soon as possible.”
European Allies Scramble for Influence
The US-authored plan was reportedly drafted without direct input from Ukraine’s key European allies, leading to an urgent push from Europe to make their voices heard. The US delegation met with national security advisors from Britain, France, and Germany, who were all seeking to boost Kyiv’s position.
- EU Chief Ursula von der Leyen stressed that the “centrality” of the European Union’s role must be “fully reflected” in any peace plan, emphasizing that Ukraine must have the sovereign right to choose its own destiny.
- German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that the task is to make the 28-point plan a “viable document,” confirming he had made a proposal being discussed in Geneva.
- UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Finnish President Alexander Stubb were among the leaders who called President Trump to discuss the proposal, agreeing that work is needed to bring about a “just and lasting peace.”
The US delegation in Geneva also surprisingly included Alexus Grynkewich, the NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe, who was present as a senior US military representative.