U.S., Ukraine and European Officials Meet in Geneva, US President Accuses Ukraine of Ingratitude

Reuters

Ukrainian, U.S., and European officials' meeting in Geneva.

Ukrainian, U.S., and European officials met in Geneva on Sunday to discuss a draft peace plan proposed by Washington aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, amid growing alarm in Kyiv and among its allies over what they view as significant concessions to Russia.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who has been championing the 28-point plan, said on Sunday that Ukraine had not shown sufficient gratitude for American support, even as U.S. weapons continue to arrive in Kyiv through NATO channels and European states keep importing Russian oil.

On Friday, Trump said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had until Thursday to approve the proposal, which demands that Ukraine cede territory, accept limits on its armed forces, and abandon its aspirations to join NATO.

For many Ukrainians—especially soldiers on the front lines—such conditions amount to capitulation after nearly four years of the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War II. Trump has since said the current proposal is not his final offer.

The U.S. delegation, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, began talks with Ukrainian officials on Sunday at the U.S. Mission in Geneva. The meeting opened in a tense atmosphere, shortly after Trump said on Truth Social that Ukraine’s leadership had shown “zero gratitude” and criticised Europe for continuing to buy Russian oil.

Since the plan was unveiled, confusion has surrounded how it was drafted. European allies said they had not been consulted. Speaking on the sidelines of a G20 meeting in Johannesburg, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the aim was to develop a proposal acceptable to Ukraine that could form the basis for negotiations with Russia.

“Right now, I'm not yet convinced we're going to get the solution President Trump wants in the next few days,” Merz said.

Before heading to Geneva, Rubio insisted on X that Washington had authored the plan, responding to comments from some U.S. senators who suggested otherwise. Senator Angus King said Rubio had told them the plan was not the administration’s official position but “essentially the wishlist of the Russians.”

A European-modified version of the U.S. plan—pushing back on territorial concessions and limitations on Ukraine’s military—was submitted to Kyiv, according to a document seen by Reuters.

The U.S. draft, which incorporates many of Russia’s key demands and offers Ukraine only vague “robust security guarantees,” comes at a highly vulnerable moment for Kyiv.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Sunday that Ukraine’s borders cannot be changed by force, its military cannot be left exposed, and the EU must play a central role in any peace agreement.

Russia has recently made slow but costly advances on parts of the front line. In Pokrovsk, a key transportation hub, Russian forces have taken parts of the city, while Ukrainian commanders report shortages of personnel to repel persistent incursions.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s power and gas infrastructure continues to suffer from relentless drone and missile attacks, leaving millions without water, heating, and electricity for hours at a time.

Domestically, Zelenskiy is under pressure following a high-profile corruption scandal involving ministers and close associates. He has warned that Ukraine risks losing both its dignity and its Western support if it accepts the U.S. proposal in its current form.

Despite tensions, Zelenskiy welcomed the diplomatic efforts in Geneva, expressing hope that the discussions would produce meaningful results. Kyiv has been encouraged by recent U.S. moves to tighten sanctions on Russia’s oil sector—Moscow’s main source of funding—while Ukrainian long-range strikes have inflicted damage on Russian energy infrastructure.

Rubio and U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Geneva on Sunday for the urgent talks. U.S. Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll also attended. Ukraine’s delegation is being led by Andriy Yermak, head of the President’s Office.

Yermak said his team had already met with national security advisers from Britain, France, and Germany, and would next meet the U.S. delegation.

European and Western leaders have described the U.S. proposal as a starting point for negotiations but stressed that it requires “further work.”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he would speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday regarding the plan and share the results with European and U.S. officials.

Putin has called the U.S. plan a possible basis for resolving the conflict, though Moscow may still object to some of its provisions, including requirements for Russian forces to withdraw from certain occupied areas.

Source: Reuters



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