A recent meeting in Geneva brought together U.S. and Ukrainian officials to dive into a 28-point plan put forth by the White House. During the discussions, they contemplated a possible visit from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the U.S., all while President Donald Trump aims to secure a deal by the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.
Zelenskyy underscored that a critical sticking point in the U.S. proposal is its inclination to recognize Russian authority over territories they have taken over, labeling this the ‘main problem’ in the ongoing talks.
He noted, “Putin wishes for legitimate acknowledgment of what he has seized, which would undermine the principles of territorial integrity and sovereignty. That’s where the heart of the issue lies. Everyone knows what this leads to.”
Ukraine’s stance against accepting conditions that imply Russian control over certain areas illustrates a significant clash regarding sovereignty. This discord might jeopardize any prospective resolution to Russia’s four-year occupation.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the discussions as “very, very meaningful,” acknowledging some progress was made, although he indicated that further efforts were still required and refrained from revealing the remaining contentious issues.
Meanwhile, Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesman, stated that Moscow was yet to receive any official updates and would refrain from making a judgment on the proposal at this stage. Additionally, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a warning that military actions would persist if Ukraine does not accept the proposed terms.
Olga Stefanishyna, Ukraine’s Ambassador to the U.S., voiced concerns regarding the leaked proposal. She stated that Ukraine hasn’t consented to all aspects of the draft, criticizing it for prioritizing an end to hostilities over achieving true justice. According to her, “This plan isn’t about fairness and accountability regarding the war and acts of aggression. It’s merely about concluding the conflict and halting military actions.”
Emily Prescott reviews U.S. politics and news for Modern Newsstand LLC, our content partner.
