The Kremlin has delivered a significant blow to Donald Trump's ambition of securing a Ukraine peace agreement by Thanksgiving, explicitly rejecting a European counterproposal while indicating Washington's plan remains under consideration.
Peace Talks Hit Major Roadblock
In a clear indication that negotiating parties remain fundamentally divided, Moscow declared that Europe's demands for Ukraine would not be accepted by Vladimir Putin. Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov stated the European proposal was "completely unconstructive and does not work for us" during a press briefing on Monday.
The rejection comes as US and Ukrainian officials engage in intensive talks in Geneva to narrow differences in the 28-point peace plan unveiled by the Trump administration last week. Despite the setback, President Trump claimed progress was being made, telling reporters that negotiations were advancing positively.
Diverging International Positions
The European peace plan significantly alters key elements of the American proposal regarding NATO and territorial issues, according to documents seen by Reuters. The publication of Washington's draft last week had raised concerns among Ukrainian and European leaders that Russia's core demands had been largely accepted.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Keir Starmer outlined Britain's position, stating that talks were making progress but emphasising that any agreement must be "just and lasting". He confirmed that a "coalition of the willing" would convene virtually on Tuesday, led jointly by himself and French President Emmanuel Macron.
International diplomacy intensified as Chinese President Xi Jinping urged "all parties to reduce their differences" during a phone call with President Trump, according to White House officials.
Deadline Pressure and Regional Tensions
President Trump had initially given Ukraine until Thanksgiving this Thursday to agree to the peace framework, though US officials later suggested the deadline might be flexible. The timing pressure coincides with reports that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky might travel to the United States in the coming days, depending on the outcome of Geneva negotiations.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the Swiss talks as "meaningful" but cautioned that significant differences remained between the parties.
The diplomatic manoeuvring occurs against a backdrop of continued violence, with Ukraine launching drone attacks deep inside Russian territory, including striking the Shatura Power Station approximately 75 miles east of the Kremlin. The attack left thousands without heating, according to Moscow region governor Andrei Vorobyov.
Political Fallout and Security Concerns
The peace process complications emerged alongside political controversy in Britain, where Reform UK broke its silence on former Welsh leader Nathan Gill, who was jailed last week for accepting bribes from Russia. Party chair Zia Yusuf described Gill's actions as "treasonous, horrific, awful" but argued it was unreasonable to connect the crime with Reform's political stance on Russia.
Security concerns escalated in neighbouring Poland, where authorities charged a Ukrainian man with assisting a Russia-backed sabotage operation targeting railway lines used to deliver aid to Ukraine. Poland had previously characterised the attack as an "unprecedented act of sabotage".
As negotiations continue, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz emphasised that only President Trump supported Russia's readmission to the G8, stating he could not see willingness among the other six G7 members to welcome Moscow back to the group after its exclusion following the 2014 annexation of Crimea.
