U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described Sunday’s negotiations in Geneva with a Ukrainian delegation on President Donald Trump’s 28‑point peace plan as the most productive discussions in months, saying meaningful progress was made but key issues remain unresolved.
On Sunday in Geneva, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio offered an upbeat assessment of the latest talks on a U.S.-backed peace proposal aimed at ending Russia’s war in Ukraine, calling the discussions the most productive in a long time.
Rubio said the consultations with the Ukrainian delegation, held at the U.S. Mission in Geneva, marked “probably the most productive and meaningful meeting so far in this entire process,” noting that negotiators had gone through elements of the plan point by point and narrowed some of the remaining gaps.
According to multiple outlets that carried Rubio’s remarks, including Axios and Yahoo News, he told reporters that the day’s discussions were “very worthwhile.” “It was probably the most productive day we have had on this issue, maybe in the entirety of our engagement, but certainly in a very long time,” he said, while stressing that “work remains” and that the process was ongoing.
The talks focused on a controversial 28‑point framework associated with President Donald Trump’s administration. The proposal has drawn scrutiny from Ukraine and several European allies, who argue that some provisions – including potential territorial concessions, limits on Ukraine’s military, and renouncing NATO membership – appear to favor Russian demands. At the same time, reporting by Axios and other outlets notes that the plan also envisages far‑reaching security guarantees and economic support for Ukraine.
Rubio said negotiators were working through changes and adjustments to the plan to further narrow differences and move closer to terms that both Kyiv and Washington could accept. He emphasized that major questions remained on issues such as security guarantees and the role of NATO, and that any final arrangement would still need to be presented to Moscow.
President Trump has set a Thanksgiving‑week deadline for reaching at least an understanding with Ukraine on his peace proposal, according to Axios. Rubio, however, downplayed the significance of the exact date, saying the aim was to reach a deal “as soon as possible” rather than to meet an arbitrary deadline, given that continued fighting meant more casualties and destruction.
The latest round of diplomacy was overshadowed by Trump’s public complaints that Ukrainian leaders had shown “zero gratitude” for U.S. support. In a post on his social media platform earlier Sunday, he criticized both Kyiv’s tone and Europe’s continued energy purchases from Russia, according to several news reports.
In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his aides moved to underscore their appreciation for U.S. backing while restating Ukraine’s red lines. Zelenskyy published a message of thanks on social media, saying Ukraine was grateful to the United States, to the American people and personally to Trump for assistance that has helped save Ukrainian lives. He also warned that any settlement must deliver a just and durable peace, insisting that the main goal must be to stop Russia’s war and prevent it from reigniting.
Andriy Yermak, Zelenskyy’s chief of staff and head of the Ukrainian delegation in Geneva, likewise told reporters that the first session with the U.S. side had been very productive and that they were “moving forward to the just and lasting peace Ukrainian people deserve,” while cautioning that additional work lay ahead.
A White House readout and statements from U.S. officials said the Geneva consultations were highly productive and resulted in an updated draft of the peace framework. They reiterated that any eventual agreement must uphold Ukraine’s sovereignty and provide credible security assurances, and that final decisions would rest with the presidents of Ukraine and the United States once negotiations with all parties, including Russia, are complete.
