- US, Russia to meet soon on Ukraine peace deal.
- US advisers met top Ukrainian aides recently.
- Talks in Switzerland on 28-point peace plan.
According to a U.S. official and two European sources, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Trump negotiator Steve Witkoff will meet with President Volodmyr Zelenskyy's aides in Geneva on Sunday before addressing the Russians.
President Donald Trump sent Driscoll to Kyiv this week to present a 28-point peace plan that would necessitate major concessions from Ukraine, which prompted the quick diplomacy. It would prohibit Ukraine from joining NATO, limit the size of the Ukrainian army, and give Russia territory it hasn't taken during its four-year invasion of Ukraine. According to Zelenksyy, Kyiv must decide whether to "lose its dignity or... lose a key partner" as a result of the plan.
After meeting with Zelenksyy, Driscoll informed a group of European ambassadors that Ukraine would not be able to reclaim land because the continent could not equal the output of the Russian defense industry. According to one diplomat, a European official present, and a source acquainted with the meeting, he declared that the moment for a settlement had come. A portion of Driscoll's discussion, such as his statement regarding industrial capacity, has not been published before.
“No deal is perfect, but it must be done sooner rather than later,”
Driscoll said, according to the European official at the meeting. U.S. armed forces “love” Ukraine and stand by its military, Driscoll said, but
“the honest U.S. military assessment is that Ukraine is in a very bad position and now is the best time for peace.”
According to the official in attendance, Julie Davis, charge d'affaires for the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine, informed the gathering that the U.S. values Ukraine's accomplishments. However, if Kyiv wishes to remain a sovereign country with a strong economy and security in the future, it will not be able to hold onto its current position.
According to the European official in attendance, Driscoll refuted the idea that the proposal was made without Ukrainian input. He informed the gathering that Ukraine's independence, sovereignty, and prosperity would be included in U.S. security guarantees. According to the official, he added that the United States will construct a high-tech demilitarized zone on the front line. He told the ambassadors in Kyiv that "they would not be here if they did not believe a deal could be reached" in response to a question about if Russia accepted the idea.
According to Army Col. Dave Butler, Driscoll's spokesperson, the Army chief "discussed U.S. intentions, the urgency and momentum we've achieved." The exchange was constructive.
“We take this opportunity to underline the strength of our continued support to Ukraine,”
they said in a joint statement from the EU and 12 countries at the summit.
“We will continue to coordinate closely with Ukraine and the U.S. over the coming days.”
European Council President António Costa said on Saturday on X that leaders of 27 EU nations will meet in Angola on Monday to draft their own counterproposal for peace.
According to two of the European officials, Driscoll was originally supposed to travel to London next to speak with European allies, but that plan was canceled after NATO allies objected.
Democrats were skeptical as well. At the Halifax International Security Forum on Friday, Senate Foreign Relations Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) stated that the U.S. approach
"seems to me like a plan that's been written by Russia about Ukraine, and it was done without our European partners."
How could proposed territorial concessions affect Ukraine's security?
The proposed territorial concessions in the peace plan could significantly undermine Ukraine's security by forcing it to relinquish control over crucial regions, including Crimea and corridor of the Donbas, which are presently honored as de facto Russian home in the plan.
Similar concessions challenge Ukraine’s sovereignty, contradicting its indigenous commitments, including the NATO class and territorial integrity. The plan’s limitations on Ukraine’s service size and prohibition on NATO forces detailing in Ukraine further weaken its defense capacity and long- term security guarantees.
Experts advise this could buoy Russia, leaving Ukraine vulnerable to unborn aggression and destabilizing European security. The concessions could also fracture Ukrainian resoluteness and morale, as numerous Ukrainians oppose ceding land.