GENEVA — Delegations from the United States, Ukraine, and key European allies are gathering in Geneva for a new round of talks aimed at halting the war in Ukraine, amid escalating criticism of a controversial 28-point peace plan championed by President Donald Trump.
Washington insists the proposal is a US-authored framework — but the details, widely leaked across global capitals, have triggered alarm from Kyiv and dismay among Western partners.
A Plan Tilted Toward Moscow
According to diplomatic sources, the draft plan would dramatically reshape Ukraine’s territorial and security landscape. Key measures include:
Transfer of remaining Ukrainian-held areas of the eastern Donbas into de facto Russian control.
Recognition of Crimea, Luhansk and Donetsk as “de facto Russian territories”, including by the United States.
A reduction of Ukraine’s armed forces to 600,000 personnel.
A binding constitutional pledge that Ukraine will not join NATO, alongside a commitment from NATO itself never to admit the country.
Reintegration of Russia into the global economic system, including a return to the G8.
Use of $100bn in frozen Russian assets to fund US-led reconstruction in Ukraine, with Washington collecting half of the profits. European nations would be expected to match the investment.
If enacted, the plan would require Ukraine to withdraw from swathes of its eastern territory and accept a freeze on front lines in the south, effectively locking in Russian gains.
Kyiv: “One of the Most Difficult Moments in Our History”
President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine was facing “one of the most difficult moments in our history”, warning that the proposal would leave the country “vulnerable to future attack” and undermine its sovereignty.
Ukrainian officials privately accuse Washington of bowing to pressure from Moscow, while insisting the plan runs counter to every security guarantee Ukraine has sought since Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Allies Push Back at G20
At the G20 summit in South Africa, Ukraine’s European allies issued a rare joint rebuke of Washington’s draft, cautioning that it “would leave Ukraine exposed” and required “significant additional work”.
Some EU diplomats described the framework as “a ceasefire on Russia’s terms”.
US senators were even blunter. Several claimed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers the document resembled a “Russian wish list”, adding that it “was based on input from the Russian side” despite “ongoing input from Ukraine”.
The Trump administration insists it is not a “final offer” and remains subject to negotiation.
War Continues Unabated
Despite diplomatic manoeuvring, fighting on the ground remains intense. Overnight, Ukraine struck a major power station in Russia’s Moscow region, sparking a large fire, according to the region’s governor.
In the southern Zaporizhzhia region, local Ukrainian officials reported 894 Russian strikes in the past 24 hours, damaging homes, industrial sites and energy infrastructure.
A Deal That May Decide the War
With both sides signalling deep mistrust and Western allies rejecting key pillars of the plan, Geneva’s talks open under a cloud.
Ukraine’s partners say any peace must be “just and durable”. Kyiv insists that means sovereignty and territorial integrity — not concessions that lock in occupation.
But with Washington pushing its blueprint and Moscow signalling approval, the pressure on Zelensky is mounting. What happens in Geneva now may shape the outcome of the war itself.
