The US and Ukraine have announced an “updated and refined peace framework” to end the war with Russia. The announcement came hours after European countries proposed their own alternative, which removed pro-Russia points from the original US-backed draft leaked last week.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met in Switzerland with a Ukrainian delegation led by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak. Rubio said he was “very optimistic” about progress. A joint statement confirmed that any final agreement would “fully uphold” Ukraine’s sovereignty.
The leaked 28-point US document had caused controversy. It reportedly demanded Ukraine give territory to Russia, limit its army size, and forgo pursuing alleged Russian war crimes. European allies reacted with a Kyiv-friendly plan, suggesting territorial talks should begin only after a ceasefire and start from the existing frontlines.
Unlike the US draft, the European alternative does not ask Ukraine to withdraw from eastern Donbas cities. It also does not block Ukraine from joining NATO, though it notes that membership remains unresolved. Other proposals include giving Russia’s occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant to the International Atomic Energy Agency for joint management, limiting Ukraine’s army to 800,000 in peacetime, and using frozen Russian assets for Ukrainian reconstruction rather than US investors. If Moscow respects “sustainable peace,” sanctions could gradually ease and Russia might rejoin the G8.
Over the weekend, former US President Donald Trump criticized Ukraine, claiming it showed “zero gratitude” for US support. Zelenskyy responded, expressing appreciation for US military assistance, including Javelin missiles. Rubio and Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, clarified the origins of the US draft after confusion about whether it was a Russian or American document.
Talks in Geneva continued on Sunday with Rubio, Witkoff, and US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll. Rubio said progress had been made addressing unresolved issues, calling the developments “very optimistic.” Yermak also described the talks as “moving forward to the just and lasting peace Ukrainian people deserve.”
Meanwhile, Russian forces launched a major drone attack on Kharkiv, killing four people and injuring others. Fifteen strikes were reported in six areas of the city.
European officials criticized the original US draft in private, arguing it undermined Ukraine’s sovereignty and could set a dangerous precedent globally. The draft also limits NATO presence in Ukraine and excludes a European-led peacekeeping force. Analysts said Russia aims to roll back European security gains made since 1997.
Zelenskyy faces intense pressure to balance national interests with maintaining support from Washington. Speaking on Sunday, he emphasized the need to stop bloodshed while preventing the war from restarting.
Olexiy Haran, a Kyiv-Mohyla Academy professor, said most Ukrainians reject the Trump-backed draft and would support the European alternative, even if it requires freezing the frontline. “Any peace deal isn’t about Zelenskyy. It’s about the Ukrainian people and their vision for Ukraine as a nation,” he said.
