White House on the peace plan Ukraine's sovereignty remains "fully" intact - Will Zelensky travel to Washington?
After the meeting in Geneva, Ukrainian negotiator Andriy Jermak and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the talks as productive.
Image: Keystone
Ukraine and the USA have agreed on a revised version of the peace plan during negotiations in Geneva.
Image: Keystone
A US official in front of the entrance to the US mission in Geneva. (November 23, 2025)
Image: Keystone/Martial Trezzini
While negotiations were taking place in Geneva, Moscow continued to attack: Rescue workers in action in front of a heavily damaged residential building in Kharkiv Sunday night. (November 23, 2025).
Image: Keystone/AP Photo/Andrii Marienko
Dozens of journalists wait in front of the American representation in Geneva. (November 23, 2025)
Image: Keystone/Martial Trezzini
Ukraine again mourns civilian casualties after new Russian attacks. (archive picture)
Image: Keystone
The consultations in Geneva dragged on for several hours.
Image: Keystone
After the meeting in Geneva, Ukrainian negotiator Andriy Jermak and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the talks as productive.
Image: Keystone
Ukraine and the USA have agreed on a revised version of the peace plan during negotiations in Geneva.
Image: Keystone
A US official in front of the entrance to the US mission in Geneva. (November 23, 2025)
Image: Keystone/Martial Trezzini
While negotiations were taking place in Geneva, Moscow continued to attack: Rescue workers in action in front of a heavily damaged residential building in Kharkiv Sunday night. (November 23, 2025).
Image: Keystone/AP Photo/Andrii Marienko
Dozens of journalists wait in front of the American representation in Geneva. (November 23, 2025)
Image: Keystone/Martial Trezzini
Ukraine again mourns civilian casualties after new Russian attacks. (archive picture)
Image: Keystone
The consultations in Geneva dragged on for several hours.
Image: Keystone
Washington and Kiev are optimistic after the talks on the controversial US peace plan. Now a new draft is to be drawn up - one that particularly emphasizes Ukraine's sovereignty. Because time is of the essence.
24.11.2025, 05:47
24.11.2025, 07:59
dpa
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- Progress is being made in the struggle for a peace plan to end the war in Ukraine: At talks in Geneva, representatives of the USA and Ukraine have drawn up a revised and expanded draft.
- In a statement from the White House, it is now stated that Ukraine's sovereignty remains untouched, in contrast to what was previously demanded.
- In the original version, the draft stipulated that Kiev would have to cede central areas in the east without a fight, recognize the already occupied regions as Russian territory and almost completely renounce security guarantees.
- The Europeans therefore demanded decisive improvements.
- Originally, Trump had only given Ukraine until this Thursday to respond to the peace plan - however, he recently appeared much more conciliatory.
Progress has been made in the struggle for a peace plan to end the war in Ukraine: At talks in Geneva, representatives of the USA and Ukraine drew up a revised draft. Both sides are determined to continue their intensive work "in the coming days" and to coordinate closely with their European partners, according to a joint statement from Kiev and Washington.
In contrast to the original request, it now states that both sides - the USA and Ukraine - "reaffirm that any future agreement must fully respect Ukraine's sovereignty and ensure a sustainable, just peace". This was announced by the White House on its website on Sunday evening (local time).
It continued: "As a result of the talks, the parties developed an updated and revised peace framework." Both sides wanted to continue working together to achieve a peace that ensures "the security, stability and reconstruction of Ukraine".
"Close contact" with European partners
They will "remain in close contact with European partners as the process continues", the statement continued. However, the final decisions on the new plan to end the Russian war of aggression will be made by US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian head of state Volodymyr Zelenskyi, the statement said.
The consultations in Geneva were "concentrated, focused and respectful" and made "significant progress" on common positions and defining the next steps. "Both sides agree that the consultations were highly productive," the joint statement said.
In its original version, the draft stipulated, among other things, that Kiev would have to cede important areas in the east without a fight, recognize the regions already occupied by Russia as Russian territory and almost completely renounce security guarantees.
Is Zelensky traveling to Washington?
Meanwhile, US and Ukrainian officials are discussing a possible trip by Zelensky to Washington. This could take place in the coming days, as reported by "CBS News". However, the decision would depend on the progress of the ongoing negotiations.
In Geneva, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke of "enormous progress". The outstanding issues were "not insurmountable", he said - without giving details of the contentious issues. "I am firmly convinced that we will get there," said Rubio.
The new draft has not yet been published. And even if there is a final plan that is approved by Kiev, Washington and the European partners, the biggest hurdle remains: There can be no peace without the approval of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
European and NATO issues to be discussed separately
Rubio assured the European partners in Geneva that issues directly affecting Europe and NATO should be dealt with separately. He said that the opinions of the allies should be sought.
In Geneva on Sunday, negotiators from Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy, the EU, Ukraine and the United States discussed the US side's 28-point peace plan in various formats. The original plan was leaked by the US media last week and was seen by critics as extremely advantageous for Russia and almost a capitulation for Ukraine.
The publication triggered hectic diplomatic efforts, which also overshadowed the G20 summit in South Africa at the weekend. The aim of Kiev's European partners was to reach a draft that also adequately reflects the interests of Ukraine and Europe.
Tough deadline for Ukraine softened
Originally, Trump had only given Ukraine until this Thursday - the US Thanksgiving holiday - to respond to the peace plan. However, he recently appeared more conciliatory in this regard. Rubio also softened the deadline. Although he would like to see a deal by then, "whether it's Thursday, Friday, Wednesday or Monday next week" is of secondary importance. "We want it to happen soon," Rubio said.
According to the White House, Rubio was joined at the meeting in Geneva by US special envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and Secretary of State Daniel Driscoll. The Ukrainian delegation was led by Selenskyj's head of the chancellery Andrij Jermak.
Further consultations between Merz and EU colleagues
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and other European heads of state and government also wanted to discuss how to deal with the peace plan on the sidelines of an EU-Africa summit in Angola today. Leading EU states such as Germany and France considered central elements of the original 28-point plan to be unacceptable.
Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan once again brought his country into play as a mediator and announced a telephone call with Putin. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the conversation planned for today. Turkey has already been the venue for direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in the past.
Ukraine agrees to current peace plan according to the White House
According to a White House statement, Ukraine is said to be satisfied with the revised plan. Based on the revisions and clarifications presented, the Ukrainian representatives have stated that the current draft reflects the country's interests and offers "short- and long-term, credible and enforceable mechanisms to protect Ukrainian security". Ukraine did not initially comment on this. In the joint statement published by the two countries shortly beforehand, the wording on the results of the talks in Geneva was more reserved.
The controversial original peace plan envisaged, for example, that Ukraine would cede previously defended territories to Russia, limit its military capabilities and declare that NATO would refrain from any expansion. Russia, on the other hand, would only have to make comparatively minor concessions, including giving up state assets frozen in the EU. This would be used for the reconstruction of Ukraine.
Europeans want to weaken key points of the US-Ukraine plan
European proposals for amendments to the US plan envisaged a significant weakening of numerous key points in favor of Ukraine. According to the German Press Agency, for example, the government in Kiev should not have to hand over any territories to Russia that it still controls itself. Furthermore, no de facto recognition of the territories occupied by Russia is envisaged.
The proposals also envisage limiting the size of the Ukrainian armed forces to 800,000 soldiers instead of 600,000 and only releasing frozen Russian state assets if Russia makes compensation payments for war damage.
Joining NATO remains conceivable
In addition, Ukraine's accession to NATO should no longer be explicitly ruled out and no general amnesty for war crimes should be granted. The deadline for elections in Ukraine within 100 days mentioned in the US plan is also not mentioned in the European draft. Instead, they should only be organized as "quickly as possible".
However, as in the US plan, Russia is said to have been offered the prospect of a revival of the G8 group of major industrialized nations. The country was banned from this group in 2014 following the annexation of the Ukrainian Black Sea peninsula of Crimea. The extent to which the proposed changes were heard during negotiations in Geneva initially remained unclear.
