US, Ukrainian, European officials discuss draft plan

GENEVA — Officials from Europe, the United States and Ukraine gathered in Geneva on Sunday to discuss a draft plan presented by Washington to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict, after Kyiv and its allies voiced alarm over what they saw as major concessions to Moscow.

On Friday, US President Donald Trump said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had until Thursday to approve his 28-point plan, which calls on Ukraine to cede territory, accept limits on its military and renounce ambitions to join NATO.

Since the plan was announced, there has been considerable confusion about who was involved in drawing it up. European allies said they had not been consulted.

A US official said Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff had arrived on Sunday for the talks on ending the conflict.

"We hope to iron out the final details ... to draft a deal that is advantageous to them (Ukraine)," a US official said. "Nothing will be agreed on until the two presidents get together," the official said, referring to Trump and Zelensky.

Ahead of Rubio's departure for Geneva, Trump said his current proposal for ending the conflict is not his final offer.

A US official said there would be coordination meetings on Sunday morning before talks start in earnest in Geneva. There would be a full day of talks in different formats between US and Ukrainian officials, the official added.

Ahead of the Geneva gathering, there were also positive and constructive talks between US and Ukrainian officials, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Convoys of diplomatic vehicles shuttled through Geneva on Sunday morning as the talks were about to get underway.

US Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll was also in Geneva for the talks, while Ukraine's delegation is led by the head of Zelensky's office, Andriy Yermak.

National security advisers from the E3 alliance of France, Germany and the United Kingdom are joining the discussions, alongside the European Union. Italy was also sending an official.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he would speak with Zelensky later on Sunday about the peace plan.

European and other Western leaders said on Saturday the US peace plan was a basis for talks to end the conflict but needed "additional work", as they seek a better deal for Kyiv before Thursday's deadline.

Agencies via Xinhua