Ukraine 'reaches understanding' with US on peace plan as Trump announces envoy's talks with Putin

A day after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed amendments to the peace plan aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war, Kyiv said it has “reached an understanding” with the US on the agreement.

The proposal is part of President Donald Trump’s 28-point peace plan, which was extensively discussed by US and Ukrainian officials over the weekend to better suit Kyiv’s interests.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said that the original plan “has been fine-tuned, with additional input from both sides.” He added, “I have directed my Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to meet with President Putin in Moscow and, at the same time, Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll will be meeting with the Ukrainians.”

President Zelenskyy’s chief of staff has confirmed that US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is expected to visit Kyiv later this week. This comes as discussions continue regarding the new draft peace plan, which has raised concerns in Moscow. The Kremlin has stated that it has not yet been consulted on the proposed amendments to the peace deal, warning it may not accept changes to last week’s plan.

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Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov added that while Moscow had supported the initial US peace framework, it would now view any substantial changes as a “fundamentally different” situation. Lavrov further accused Europe of undermining US peace efforts, although American officials have not yet publicly addressed Russia’s concerns. Notably, US and Russian representatives held meetings in Abu Dhabi earlier this week, but key issues remain unresolved.

The key sticking points

One of the primary points of contention between Moscow and Kyiv remains the issue of security guarantees for Ukraine and control over territories in the east. While both sides have agreed in principle to some aspects of the peace plan, Ukraine and Russia remain deeply divided on issues such as the legal recognition of territories seized by Russia, including Crimea, and full Ukrainian withdrawal from the eastern Donbas region, consisting of Donetsk and Luhansk.

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Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that he was ready to meet Trump to discuss “sensitive points,” adding that his administration aims for a meeting before the end of the month. “I am counting on further active cooperation with the American side and with President (Donald) Trump. Much depends on America, because Russia pays the greatest attention to American strength,” he said.

Despite Zelenskyy’s optimism, European leaders have expressed doubts about the prospects for peace after almost four years of war. French President Emmanuel Macron said he saw “no Russian will for a ceasefire,” while Downing Street warned that there was “a long way to go – a tough road ahead.”

Meanwhile, in a virtual meeting of Ukraine’s European allies, chaired by Macron and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on Tuesday, leaders agreed to form a task force with the US to “accelerate” work on the security guarantees to be offered to Ukraine in the event of a peace deal. However, with Moscow and Kyiv still at odds over key issues, the path to peace remains uncertain.

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