US Optimistic on Ukraine Peace Plan, but Key Issues Remain Unresolved
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The US has expressed optimism about its proposal to end the Ukraine conflict after a day of intense talks in Geneva. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio hailed 'tremendous progress' with Ukrainian and European officials, but acknowledged that several key issues remain unresolved. The US plan, which requires Ukraine to cede territory and pledge not to join NATO, has been met with skepticism by Kyiv. Ukraine's delegation, led by Andriy Yermak, has called for changes to the draft, citing concerns that it favors Russian interests. US President Donald Trump had given Ukraine a deadline of November 27 to accept the plan, but Rubio indicated that the timeline may be flexible. 'We want to get this done as soon as possible,' he said, adding that he was 'very optimistic' about the prospects of a deal. The talks in Geneva also saw a heated exchange between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, with Trump accusing Ukraine of lacking gratitude for US efforts. Zelensky responded by expressing gratitude for US assistance, which he said had 'saved Ukrainian lives'. European leaders, including EU chief Ursula von der Leyen and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, have expressed concerns about the US plan and called for Ukraine's sovereignty to be respected. The European Union is set to hold a meeting on Monday to discuss the situation, and a video call among leaders of the 'coalition of the willing' supporting Kyiv is scheduled for Tuesday. While the US delegation in Geneva reported progress, several issues remain unresolved, including the fate of Ukrainian territory and the country's future relationship with NATO. Rubio acknowledged that 'a couple of issues' still need to be worked out before a final agreement can be reached. The outcome of the talks in Geneva remains uncertain, but US officials are hopeful that a deal can be reached in the coming days. 'I think we made a tremendous amount of progress,' Rubio said. 'I feel very optimistic that we're going to get there in a very reasonable period of time, very soon.'
