The United States and Ukraine have announced a revised version of a proposed peace framework to end the war with Russia, following a full day of intensive negotiations in Geneva. The new draft seeks to address the most controversial elements of the earlier US plan—widely criticised in Kyiv and parts of Europe as too accommodating to Moscow—yet major unresolved issues remain at the heart of the discussions.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who led the American delegation, described the talks as “very worthwhile” and among the most productive since President Donald Trump returned to office. Though optimistic, Rubio avoided giving specifics about the updated framework and stressed that additional meetings may take place in the days ahead. He also downplayed Trump’s publicly stated Thursday deadline for Ukraine to respond to the earlier draft, saying the true priority is securing an end to the fighting rather than meeting arbitrary dates.
Both Washington and Kyiv declined to reveal concrete details of the revised plan. However, a White House statement later indicated that the new version contains strengthened security guarantees for Ukraine and that the Ukrainian delegation believes the emerging framework “reflects their national interests.” Ukrainian officials themselves did not release a separate statement.
Several sensitive questions remain open, including how Ukraine’s long-term security against Russia would be assured, what role NATO would play in any settlement, and where the eventual dividing lines on the battlefield would be drawn. These points, Rubio said, require further high-level political decisions as well as careful wording to avoid diplomatic pitfalls.
European officials present at the Geneva session reportedly put forward their own modifications to the original American proposal. Their version pushes back against any cap on the size of Ukraine’s armed forces and rejects predetermined territorial concessions. Instead, it suggests that any negotiations over land should begin from the current frontlines, not from assumptions that certain regions must be ceded to Russia—an approach more favourable to Kyiv.
The initial 28-point plan drafted by the US had triggered alarm across Europe. It included territorial concessions and limits on Ukraine’s military capability, elements President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has firmly rejected. Zelenskyy has warned that Ukraine risks facing a painful dilemma: defending its sovereignty or risking the loss of vital American support.
Trump recently complained that Ukraine had not shown sufficient gratitude for US efforts, prompting Zelenskyy to reiterate appreciation for Washington’s continued backing. Rubio acknowledged that the situation is “very delicate” and said negotiators are now narrowing down the list of unresolved issues left by the original draft.
Although the updated framework marks progress, it remains unclear when or whether all sides will be able to agree on a final peace plan capable of ending the nearly four-year-old conflict.
