Geneva: The United States and Ukraine have taken another step forward in drafting a refined peace plan aimed at ending the war with Russia, even as several sensitive issues remain under discussion and tensions continue on the battlefield. Officials on both sides described the progress as meaningful but stressed that many parts of the proposal still need more work before it can be considered a realistic path to a just and lasting peace.
The updated framework was shaped over several days of negotiations in Geneva. It follows strong criticism of the earlier US drafted plan, which faced resistance in Kyiv and in many European capitals. The original document placed heavy demands on Ukraine, including limits on its military strength and indirect acceptance of Russian control over some occupied territories. European allies were also concerned that they were not fully included in the early stages of the talks.
In the joint statement released after the Geneva meeting, the US and Ukraine said they would continue intensive work in the coming days and that Ukraine’s sovereignty and the safety of its people must remain at the centre of any peace settlement. American officials said the latest version of the framework is a flexible document that can be adjusted as talks continue.
Ukraine’s teams have been studying the details at a technical level as they prepare their official response. Kyiv has repeated that it will not accept any deal that weakens its security or forces it to abandon its core principles. The government is facing both military and political pressure at home, with ongoing Russian attacks on power and gas networks and public concern over a recent corruption scandal.
European leaders who reviewed the revised proposal during the G20 Summit in Johannesburg said it was a basis for discussion but still required significant changes. They insisted that no peace deal should allow borders to be changed by force and that any arrangements linked to NATO or European Union security must be agreed upon by all member states.
Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said the country faces a difficult decision. He warned that rejecting the plan without offering constructive alternatives could risk losing critical American support. At the same time, he has made clear that Ukraine cannot be pushed into any agreement that leaves it vulnerable to future attacks.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has expressed optimism about the talks and said there is a genuine chance of reaching a workable agreement soon.
He described the progress in Geneva as the strongest signal yet that all sides are willing to make adjustments to bring the war closer to an end.
The coming days are expected to be crucial as Ukraine prepares its official reply and negotiators attempt to close the gaps that remain. While some movement has been made, the most sensitive issues concerning territory, long term security guarantees and the future of Ukraine’s defence policy are still far from settled.
For now, both Washington and Kyiv say they are committed to finding a path forward, even as fighting continues and the political atmosphere in both countries remains tense. The outcome of these talks could shape the future of Europe’s security and determine how the long and destructive conflict moves into its next phase.