WASHINGTON — Diplomatic efforts to resolve the ongoing Ukraine crisis have advanced significantly as American and Ukrainian negotiators successfully condensed a proposed 28-point peace plan into a more focused 19-point framework during intensive weekend discussions in Geneva. This development follows earlier tensions surrounding the comprehensive proposal initially put forward by the United States.
According to multiple international media reports, the revised document represents a substantial departure from the original version, with many of the most contentious provisions either substantially modified or completely restructured to better align with Ukrainian positions. Oleksandr Bevz, a Ukrainian official who participated in the Geneva negotiations, confirmed to The Washington Post that the revised framework reflects concerted efforts to ‘soften or reshape’ problematic elements that had previously drawn strong criticism from Ukrainian and European leaders.
The diplomatic breakthrough comes as U.S. President Donald Trump’s Thursday deadline for agreement on the initial 28-point plan now appears more flexible. Bevz characterized the timeline as ‘not a code red,’ emphasizing that careful finalization of the text remains the priority over strict adherence to the deadline.
Ukrainian First Deputy Foreign Minister Sergiy Kyslytsya provided further insight to the Financial Times, noting that the current draft bears minimal resemblance to the leaked original document. ‘Very few things are left from the original version,’ Kyslytsya stated, indicating the extensive revisions made during the negotiations.
The original 28-point proposal had drawn sharp criticism for requiring Ukraine to concede territory in its eastern regions, substantially reduce military capabilities, and formally renounce NATO membership aspirations—conditions that directly challenged several long-standing Ukrainian diplomatic red lines.
The Geneva meetings included representatives from the United States, Ukraine, and several European nations. The Ukrainian delegation first met with national security advisers from Britain, France, and Germany before engaging in bilateral discussions with American officials. The U.S. team included Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, and Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office chief Andriy Yermak led the Ukrainian contingent.
A White House statement issued Sunday night confirmed that the talks had produced ‘meaningful progress toward aligning positions,’ though the Kremlin indicated it had not yet received official details from the Geneva discussions and does not anticipate talks with U.S. officials this week, according to Newsweek.
President Trump has suggested that while Thursday remains the target for reaching understanding with Kyiv, negotiations may continue beyond that date if substantial progress continues to be made.