Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and former US President Donald Trump are reportedly preparing for a potential meeting at the White House later this week, as diplomatic efforts to revise a controversial US-led peace plan for Ukraine intensify.
Substantial Revisions to Original Proposal
According to sources familiar with the negotiations, the original 28-point plan, drafted last month by Vladimir Putin's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev and Trump's representative Steve Witkoff, has undergone significant changes. The revised proposal now consists of only 19 points, with several of Russia's most extreme demands having been removed.
The initial plan had drawn sharp criticism for its terms, which reportedly included requiring Ukraine to withdraw from cities it controls in the eastern Donbas region, limit the size of its army, and forfeit its ambition to join NATO.
Key Sticking Points and European Involvement
Kyiv and its European partners have firmly asserted that the existing frontline must serve as the starting point for any territorial discussions. They insist there can be no recognition of land seized by Russia by military force. Furthermore, they maintain that Ukraine must retain the sovereign right to make its own decisions regarding membership in the European Union and NATO, free from a Kremlin veto or imposed conditions.
The push for European involvement gained momentum after the UK and EU were reportedly blindsided by the leak of the original plan to US media last week. In response, European governments published their own counter-proposals over the weekend, emphasising the need to respect Ukraine's sovereignty.
This diplomatic flurry included a call between President Zelenskyy and US Vice-President JD Vance, during which Zelenskyy urged the inclusion of European countries in the process. Vance reportedly agreed.
Positive Signals from Negotiations
The revised plan emerged from talks held on Sunday in Switzerland, led by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Zelenskyy's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak. Following the discussions, Rubio described them as "very very positive".
The Ukrainian delegation, after briefing President Zelenskyy in Kyiv upon their return from Geneva, characterised the latest version of the plan as more realistic.
Striking an optimistic note, Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social: "Is it really possible that big progress is being made in Peace Talks between Russia and Ukraine??? Don't believe it until you see it, but something good just may be happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA!" This marked a shift in tone from his recent accusation that Ukraine's leadership had "zero gratitude".
Mounting Pressure on the Ground
These diplomatic manoeuvres occur at a time of heightened vulnerability for President Zelenskyy. His administration is contending with a corruption scandal that led to the dismissal of two ministers, while Russian forces continue to make gains on the battlefield.
The human cost of the conflict was starkly illustrated in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, which suffered a massive drone attack on Sunday that killed four people. Meanwhile, Russian air defences downed Ukrainian drones en route to Moscow, causing temporary flight disruptions at three capital airports.
As the revised 19-point plan takes shape, the potential meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump looms as a critical juncture, with Ukraine's future sovereignty and territorial integrity hanging in the balance.
