A "future peace agreement" to end the conflict with Russia "must fully respect the sovereignty" of Kiev. This point emerged in Geneva, Switzerland, at the end of "constructive" talks between Americans, Ukrainians, and Europeans. The White House called it "a step forward" toward a peaceful solution, sending Secretary of State Marco Rubio across the Alps. Before the talks, the head of American diplomacy had said he was "very optimistic" about the possibility of reaching an agreement "very quickly," even though many unknowns remain.
The Geneva talks, which concluded Sunday evening, were based on US President Donald Trump's draft 28-point plan to end the conflict sparked by the nearly four-year-old Russian invasion that began on February 24, 2022. "The talks were constructive, focused, and respectful, underscoring our shared commitment to achieving a just and lasting peace," the White House wrote in a joint statement with the Ukrainian delegation in Geneva.
The two sides "reaffirmed that any future agreement must fully respect Ukraine's sovereignty," so much so that the United States and Ukraine have "drafted a new, refined version of a peace framework" compared to the one leaked in recent days. In Geneva, Ukrainian negotiator Andriy Yermak, Volodymyr Zelensky's right-hand man, reported "excellent progress" after the Ukrainian president welcomed a new version of the American plan that "already reflects most of Kiev's key priorities."
Trump had given Zelensky until November 27 to respond, later clarifying that his plan would not be his definitive "last offer." The initial version of the document had sparked opposition from Kiev and its European allies—Paris, London, Berlin, and Rome—who had arrived in Geneva on Sunday to avoid a peace that would have taken the form of a capitulation. "We've made enormous progress," Rubio congratulated him, believing that "the outstanding issues are not insurmountable," and leaving the door open for an extension beyond Thursday's Thanksgiving holiday.
Several meetings between Europeans, Americans, and Ukrainians were held in Geneva, prior to a lengthy bilateral meeting between Washington and Kiev, held at the US diplomatic mission. Among the Americans present were Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law; Steve Witkoff, Trump's special envoy for the Middle East, Ukraine, and Russia; and the Supreme Commander of NATO Forces in Europe, General Alexus Grynkewich, as the senior American officer.
