Breakthrough in Peace Negotiations
Ukraine has accepted the terms of a Washington-brokered peace agreement to end Russia's four-year invasion, according to senior US officials. The development comes after days of intensive negotiations between the White House, Moscow, and Kyiv, with only "minor details" remaining to be resolved before a final settlement.
CBS News reported that a US official confirmed Kyiv had "agreed to a peace deal", though Ukrainian authorities have yet to make an official confirmation. The announcement follows statements from Ukraine's national security adviser Rustem Umerov, who revealed that his country had reached a "common understanding" with the White House regarding a potential agreement to conclude the devastating conflict.
Diplomatic Movements and International Response
President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to travel to the United States within days to finalise the agreement with President Donald Trump. This follows Monday's meetings in Geneva where amendments were made to Trump's original 28-point peace proposal. Zelensky welcomed these changes, indicating they had brought the parties closer to a workable solution.
President Trump expressed optimism about the progress, posting on Truth Social that "something good just may be happening" regarding the peace efforts. However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov emphasised that any amended peace plan must reflect the "spirit and letter" of understandings reached between Putin and Trump during their Alaska summit in August.
UK Position and Ongoing Violence
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer provided clarification to MPs in the House of Commons, stating that Britain's "best understanding" is that no new agreement has emerged from Kyiv. He explained that the developments appeared to be Ukraine confirming their satisfaction with the draft that emerged from Geneva talks, rather than representing fresh proposals.
Starmer condemned Vladimir Putin's "depraved ambitions" and revealed that in a personal moment, he had contrasted celebrating his daughter's 15th birthday with seeing images of a Ukrainian girl of similar age being pulled from rubble where her mother had been killed. He described the situation as "abhorrent".
The diplomatic progress unfolded against a backdrop of continued violence, with Russian overnight strikes on Kyiv killing at least six people and wounding thirteen others. The attacks targeted residential buildings and energy infrastructure, marking the second major air assault on the capital this month.
Sir Keir Starmer reaffirmed the UK's unwavering support for Ukraine during a telephone conversation with President Zelensky, emphasising that international unity must be demonstrated in support of the war-torn nation. The leaders also discussed preparations for the deployment of a multinational force following any cessation of hostilities.
