Ukraine has agreed to a U.S.-backed peace proposal to end the war with Russia, a major potential breakthrough after nearly four years of bloody conflict.
“The Ukrainians have agreed to the peace deal,” a U.S. official told multiple news outlets early Tuesday. “There are some minor details to be sorted out, but they have agreed to a peace deal.”
Ukrainian national security adviser Rustem Umerov confirmed Tuesday morning that Ukrainian and U.S. delegations “reached a common understanding on the core terms of the agreement discussed in Geneva.”
“We appreciate the productive and constructive meetings held in Geneva between the Ukrainian and U.S. delegations, as well as President Trump’s steadfast efforts to end the war,” Umerov wrote on social media. “We now count on the support of our European partners in our further steps. We look forward to organizing a visit of Ukraine’s President to the US at the earliest suitable date in November to complete final steps and make a deal with President Trump.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that his team returned from Geneva with “an updated framework” of the peace plan.
“Following the meetings in Geneva, we see many prospects that can make the path to peace real. There are solid results, and much work still lies ahead,” Zelensky wrote.
U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is currently holding meetings with Russian officials in Abu Dhabi to present the revised peace plan.
“Late Monday and throughout Tuesday, Secretary Driscoll and team have been in discussions with the Russian delegation to achieve a lasting peace in Ukraine,” Lt. Col. Jeffrey Tolbert, a U.S. Army spokesman, said Tuesday. “The talks are going well and we remain optimistic. Secretary Driscoll is closely synchronized with the White House and the U.S. interagency as these talks progress.”
A U.S. military official in Abu Dhabi said Driscoll has spent hours negotiating with Russian representatives, going in and out of meetings all day.
“We remain very optimistic,” the official said. “Secretary Driscoll is optimistic. Hopefully, we’ll get feedback from the Russians soon. This is moving quick.”
The peace framework was significantly revised during weekend negotiations in Geneva between U.S. and Ukrainian officials. The original 28-point plan has been reduced to 19 core points.
The revised plan no longer includes a point on amnesty for war acts or strict limits on Ukraine’s future military size, according to ABC News. Ukrainian officials told Axios that both sides agreed to remove issues not directly related to peace in Ukraine, including matters concerning NATO’s future, European security, and U.S.-Russian relations.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday that President Trump “remains hopeful and optimistic that a deal can be struck” to end the war.
The Kremlin has not confirmed Russia’s position on the revised peace plan. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday, “We still have nothing to say. We are monitoring media reports and analyzing them carefully.”
The fighting continued as diplomacy intensified. Russia launched 22 missiles and 460 drones into Ukraine overnight Monday, killing six civilians in Kyiv and wounding 13 others.
In Russia, three people were killed and eight wounded in a Ukrainian drone attack overnight, according to Russia’s Defense Ministry. Russian forces intercepted and destroyed 249 Ukrainian drones, including 116 over the Black Sea, the ministry said.
Russia invaded Ukraine in an unprovoked attack on February 24, 2022. The war has killed or wounded over a million Russian soldiers, displaced millions of Ukrainians, and caused widespread destruction across the country.