Significant progress has been made between the United States and Ukraine on an updated peace plan, reducing the original 28 points to 19, according to Financial Times on Monday, citing Ukraine’s First Deputy Foreign Minister, Serhiy Kyslytsya.

The two sides held talks in Geneva described as “intense but productive,” which “left both sides satisfied,” according to the Ukrainian official. However, some points of disagreement remain.

The initial 28-point plan caused widespread reactions on both sides of the Atlantic, especially in Europe. The revised plan now consists of 19 points.

One of the key differences between the plans is that the most sensitive political issues are left unresolved at this stage, to be decided later by the presidents of the two countries.

After lengthy negotiations, which nearly collapsed before they began, American and Ukrainian delegations agreed on many points but left thorny issues open — such as territorial questions and the relations among NATO, Russia, and the US — which will need to be decided by US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The Ukrainian side clarified that it did not have a mandate to make decisions on territorial sovereignty, particularly concerning any potential territorial concessions implied by the original plan, which, under the Ukrainian constitution, would require a referendum.

Kyslytsya emphasized that the new draft “bears little relation” to the previously leaked version that sparked anger in Kyiv: “Very little remains from the original draft.”

“We have created a solid framework for convergence and in some areas can compromise,” he said. “The rest will require leadership decisions.” Both sides will now present the final drafts to Washington and Kyiv to inform their presidents.

According to Kyslytsya, the Trump administration is expected to approach Moscow next to push talks forward. Copies of the plan given to the leadership of both delegations were the only documents to leave the meeting room.

He said the Americans were cautious, willing to listen to Ukraine’s position, and open to proposals. “Almost everything we proposed was accepted,” he noted.

It’s worth recalling that the original 28-point plan was drafted without Ukraine’s knowledge.

The Ukrainian delegation was led by Zelensky’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, and National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov, with Kyslytsya alongside military and intelligence officials.

The US delegation included Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Army Secretary Dan Driskell, Special Envoy for Russia Steve Witkoff, and the President’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, whose presence initially surprised the Ukrainian team.

Tense Atmosphere Before Talks Began

The talks almost fell apart before starting. The atmosphere Sunday morning in Geneva was “very tense,” as the Americans were upset by media leaks before the meeting and public debate around the original plan. Nearly two hours of talks between Yermak and Rubio were needed to ease tensions and get the process back on track.

The Ukrainian side welcomed positive signs when the US team appeared willing to drop the clause limiting Ukraine’s army to 600,000 troops. “They agreed the troop number in the leak — whoever wrote it — is no longer on the table,” Kyslytsya said. “The military will continue reviewing the arrangements.”

Also, the proposal for a general amnesty for potential war crimes was revised to “reflect the wounds of those who suffered from the war,” he added.

Later, European allies from Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and EU institutions joined a separate session. Before meeting the Americans, Ukraine had private talks with European national security advisers to align priorities.

Possible Zelensky Visit to Washington

There are talks of a potential visit by Zelensky to Washington this week to finalize an agreement. However, some in his circle warn him to stay in Kyiv to avoid tensions with the US president that could undermine progress.

The Kremlin stated Monday it had neither received nor been informed about the US-Ukraine plan.

The European Plan

Earlier today, elements of Europe’s counterproposal to the US peace plan were made public.

Europe rejects any ceding of Ukrainian territory not currently under Russian control, emphasizing that negotiations for territorial exchanges must start from the current military front line.

Furthermore, Ukraine should maintain 800,000 troops in peacetime, 200,000 more than the US plan proposes.

The agency notes that US proposals concerning frozen Russian assets in the EU have been “significantly modified.” Chancellor Friedrich Merz yesterday called unacceptable a proposal for a $100 billion European investment in Ukraine’s reconstruction under US control, from which the US would receive 50% of the profits.

Europeans argue Ukraine should also receive security guarantees under NATO’s Article 5, and that the country’s accession to the Alliance would require unanimous approval. Reuters notes no consensus exists yet on this, but Ukraine’s NATO membership is not definitively rejected. NATO will not maintain permanent forces in Ukraine, and according to Bloomberg, the US will be compensated for security guarantees provided, with sanctions on Russia gradually lifted.

German news agency dpa adds that Europeans demand no general amnesty for war crimes and reject the US proposal for a 100-day deadline for elections in Ukraine.

EU’s “Red Lines” in Negotiations

The EU set three “red lines” during Sunday’s talks:

1. Ukraine’s borders cannot be changed by force, said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, after US and European senior officials held talks in Geneva.
2. As a sovereign nation, Ukraine’s armed forces cannot be restricted in ways that would make it vulnerable to future attacks and undermine European security, she added.
3. The central role of the EU in securing peace for Ukraine must be fully reflected. Ukraine must have the freedom and sovereign right to choose its own destiny, having chosen a European future, concluded the EU chief, noting this starts with Ukraine’s reconstruction and integration into the EU single market and defense industrial base.