Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky used an address to Sweden’s parliament on Monday to blast the United States’ proposed 28-point peace plan, arguing that its acknowledgment of Russian-controlled territory inside Ukraine is unacceptable. Zelensky stated, “Putin wants legal recognition of what he has stolen, to break the principle of territorial integrity and sovereignty. That’s the main problem. You all understand what that means,” insisting that “Borders cannot be changed by force.” His message reflected Ukraine’s longstanding fear that any formal recognition of Russian gains—no matter how temporary—would signal to the world that powerful nations can redraw borders without consequence. He warned that Putin seeks to revive “the practice of invasion and conquest” globally and said it would be “very dangerous” to reward such aggression.
Even so, Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine is “working closely with the U.S. and other European partners” to make changes to the proposal. He expressed confidence that Kyiv negotiators have kept several “very sensitive points” in the discussion, including whether frozen Russian assets can be tapped to fund Ukrainian reconstruction. “The aggressor must pay fully for the war he started,” he insisted. That position—forcing Moscow to foot the bill—has become a political flashpoint, especially as American taxpayers grow increasingly weary of writing blank checks for a conflict Washington’s own leaders say has no clear end date.
U.S. officials, meanwhile, struck an upbeat tone after negotiations in Geneva wrapped Monday morning. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. team had a “very good day” marked by “a tremendous amount of progress.” He described intense, round-the-clock meetings involving “our Secretary of the Army and others” who traveled to Kyiv to meet with officials across Ukraine’s political and military leadership. Yet Rubio cautioned that a few sticking points remain and will require presidential sign-off. “This is a very delicate moment, and it’s important — like I said, there’s not agreement on those yet. Some of it is semantics or language; others require higher-level decisions and consultation; others, I think, just need more time to work through.”
Among the unresolved questions: how the European Union and NATO would factor into any long-term security guarantees. Rubio said all sides agree that “getting a final end to this war will require for Ukraine to feel as if it is safe, and it is never going to be invaded or attacked again.” That vision inevitably raises concerns about the U.S. assuming an open-ended security commitment at a time when American families are tightening their belts at home and pushing back against policies that seem to prioritize foreign borders over domestic ones.
President Donald Trump, who authored the peace plan, spent the weekend expressing frustration that Ukrainian officials had criticized the proposal. He accused them of showing “zero gratitude for our efforts” and said the Europeans were undermining U.S. leverage by continuing to buy Russian energy. He also argued that the invasion would have “never happened” under “strong and proper U.S. and Ukrainian leadership.” But by Monday, Trump struck a more optimistic tone. On Truth Social he wrote: “Is it really possible that big progress is being made in Peace Talks between Russia and Ukraine??? Don’t believe it until you see it, but something good just may be happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA!”
For now, Russia is not directly involved in the latest round of negotiations. The goal of the Geneva meetings has been to lock in Ukraine’s approval for a revised plan before presenting it to Moscow. Reports indicate the proposal has already shrunk from 26 points to 19, with further adjustments expected once Trump and Zelensky meet face to face. The Kremlin, for its part, claims it has received no official communication from Washington or Kyiv. “We haven’t yet received any kind of information,” spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday, adding, “We’ve been closely following the multitude of media reports in recent days, including those from Geneva, but nothing has officially been sent to us.” He noted that Russia is aware amendments were made to the earlier draft but is waiting to see updated text. Peskov said no meetings with U.S. officials are on the calendar, though Putin remains open to dialogue.
The stakes are enormous. Any peace deal will shape not only the future of Eastern Europe but the role the United States chooses to play on the world stage. With Washington’s foreign commitments under renewed scrutiny and Americans demanding common-sense leadership focused on security and national strength, the coming days will reveal whether this diplomatic push delivers real movement—or simply more promises without clarity.
