Trump’s Ukraine Peace Plan Sparks Tension as Geneva Talks Begin; Kyiv, Europe Push Back on ‘Major Concessions’
Ukrainian, US and European officials met behind closed doors in Geneva on Sunday to discuss a Washington-drafted proposal to end the war, days after Kyiv and its allies raised alarms over what they view as sweeping concessions to Russia.
On Friday, US President Donald Trump said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had until Thursday to respond to the 28-point plan, which would require Ukraine to cede territory, accept limits on its military, and abandon its NATO aspirations. Many Ukrainians — including front-line troops — say the terms amount to surrender after nearly four years of Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II. Trump has since stressed that the proposal is not his final offer.
The plan’s rollout has also been clouded by confusion. European governments say they were not consulted, while some US lawmakers claimed the proposal resembled a “Russian wish list.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio insisted on X that Washington authored the plan, pushing back against suggestions the administration had distanced itself from it.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the immediate goal in Geneva was to shape a proposal acceptable to Ukraine that could later be presented to Moscow. “I’m not yet convinced we’re going to get the solution President Trump wants in the next few days,” he said on the sidelines of a G20 meeting in Johannesburg.
Senator Angus King, however, said Rubio privately suggested the plan was not the administration’s official position.
A Perilous Moment for Ukraine
The draft, which incorporates several of Russia’s core demands and offers only broad pledges of “robust security guarantees” for Ukraine, comes as Kyiv faces mounting pressure on the battlefield and at home.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reiterated that Ukraine’s borders “cannot be changed by force” and that its military must not be left exposed. Russia continues to gain ground, though slowly and at heavy cost, according to Ukrainian and Western officials. The key logistics hub of Pokrovsk has been partially seized, and Ukrainian commanders warn of troop shortages as Russian forces carry out persistent small-scale incursions.
Russian drone and missile strikes have battered Ukraine’s power and gas infrastructure, leaving millions without heat, electricity or water for hours at a time. Zelensky is also grappling with a domestic corruption scandal involving several ministers and close associates, heightening internal political pressure.
He has warned that Ukraine could risk losing its “dignity and freedom” — or even Washington’s support — over the proposed US plan.
Diplomatic Advantage to Moscow?
Zelensky said he welcomed the Geneva talks, expressing hope for progress. Kyiv had been encouraged in recent weeks by tougher US sanctions on Russia’s oil sector and successful Ukrainian long-range strikes on Russian energy infrastructure.
But the draft peace plan appears to shift diplomatic leverage back toward Moscow, analysts say. Ukraine remains heavily dependent on US weapons, intelligence and financing.
Rubio and US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Geneva on Sunday for the emergency talks. “We hope to iron out the final details… to draft a deal that is advantageous to Ukraine,” a US official said, adding that no agreement would be finalized before a meeting between Trump and Zelensky.
Europe Crafts Its Own Draft Based on US Proposal
US Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll also joined the talks. Ukraine’s delegation is led by Andriy Yermak, chief of staff to Zelensky. Yermak said Kyiv had already met national security advisers from Britain, France and Germany and would now engage with the US team.
European and other Western leaders have described the US proposal as a starting point, not a finished deal. A German government source said the EU has prepared its own draft peace plan, based on the US document, and shared it with both Ukraine and Washington.
Turkey is also stepping in diplomatically. President Tayyip Erdogan said he will speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday about the Ukraine issue and will brief Western partners afterward.
Putin has called the US plan a basis for negotiations but may oppose some parts, including requirements for Russian troops to withdraw from certain occupied areas.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb, asked about the multiple proposals, said the abundance of ideas could ultimately prove useful. “That means we have plenty of material to put together a peace plan which leads to a sustainable and just peace,” he told Reuters in Johannesburg.
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