Ukraine has announced that a “common understanding” has been reached with the United States regarding a potential peace agreement aimed at resolving the conflict with Russia.
This understanding is reportedly based on a 28-point proposal presented to Kyiv by the U.S. last week, which underwent further refinement during weekend talks in Geneva between American and Ukrainian officials.
In a statement released on social media, U.S. President Donald Trump indicated that the original plan “has been fine-tuned, with additional input from both sides”.
President Trump added: “I have directed my Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to meet with President Putin in Moscow and, at the same time, Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll will be meeting with the Ukrainians.”
Specific dates for these proposed meetings have not yet been disclosed.
The Kremlin has previously stated that it had not yet been consulted regarding the new draft agreement, cautioning that it may not accept amendments to the initial plan presented last week.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that while Moscow was initially supportive of the U.S. framework, the situation would be “fundamentally different” if substantive changes had been made.
As of Tuesday morning, the Kremlin had not received a copy of the revised plan, according to Lavrov, who also accused Europe of undermining U.S. peace initiatives.
U.S. officials have not publicly addressed Russia’s concerns. However, U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and Russian representatives reportedly held meetings on Monday and Tuesday in Abu Dhabi.
Sources indicate that certain points of contention between Russia and Ukraine remain unresolved, including security guarantees involving Kyiv and the future of contested regions in eastern Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on Tuesday that he was prepared to meet with President Trump to discuss “sensitive points,” with his administration hoping to schedule a meeting before the end of the month.
“I am counting on further active cooperation with the American side and with President (Donald) Trump. Much depends on America, because Russia pays the greatest attention to American strength,” he said.
The White House has not issued a statement regarding possible bilateral talks. However, President Trump announced via social media that he looked forward to meeting with Presidents Zelensky and Putin “soon, but ONLY when the deal to end this War is FINAL or, in its final stages”.
Despite the White House’s apparent optimism, European leaders expressed skepticism that peace could be achieved after nearly four years of conflict. French President Emmanuel Macron stated that he saw “no Russian will for a ceasefire,” while Downing Street cautioned that there was “a long way to go – a tough road ahead.”
Ukraine’s European allies, the “Coalition of the Willing,” convened a virtual meeting on Tuesday, chaired by President Macron and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
During the call, which also included U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the leaders agreed to establish a joint task force with the U.S. to “accelerate” work on security guarantees for Ukraine in the event of a peace agreement.
The issue of security guarantees is just one of the areas of dispute between Moscow and Kyiv. On Monday, President Zelensky described Russian President Vladimir Putin’s demand for legal recognition of territory Russia had seized as the “main problem” obstructing peace.
Moscow has consistently demanded the full withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the entirety of the eastern Donbas region, comprising the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Russian forces also maintain control over the Crimean peninsula and significant portions of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.
The latest diplomatic efforts follow a series of intense strikes by Russia on Ukraine between Monday and Tuesday, in which 22 missiles and over 460 drones were launched on targets across the country, resulting in 14 deaths.
Concurrently, the Russian Ministry of Defence reported intercepting 249 Ukrainian drones overnight, including those targeting the Black Sea and Kursk, and stated that at least three people had been killed in the southern Rostov region.
Tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians have been either killed or injured, and millions of people have been displaced since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine commenced in February 2022.
Reports indicate that the proposed plan has undergone significant revisions since Sunday; pivotal points of contention, however, are expected to persist.
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Following discussions regarding a U.S.-backed initiative to end the war, both sides have indicated their commitment to “intensive work” on unresolved issues.
The proposed agreement contains 28 key points, some of which may be acceptable to Ukraine, while others potentially cross previously established red lines for Kyiv.
Ukrainian soldiers deployed at the front lines express a range of emotions, from anger and defiance to resignation, in the wake of the public disclosure of the U.S. plan.