Trump Signals Possible Breakthrough in Ukraine Peace Talks
Over the weekend, a flurry of high-stakes diplomacy unfolded in Geneva, centering around a US-backed peace plan for Ukraine that has been closely associated with former President Donald Trump. The 28-point proposal, which aims to outline terms for ending the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, has sparked heated debate among world leaders, Ukrainian officials, and those on the frontlines of the conflict.
Donald Trump expressed cautious optimism after the Geneva talks wrapped up, posting on social media, "Don’t believe it until you see it, but something good just may be happening." While he stopped short of claiming a breakthrough, his remarks suggest that progress might be inching forward, though major obstacles remain.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking at a Swedish conference and on social media, has been clear that giving up territory to Russia is non-negotiable. He emphasized that Russia’s President Vladimir Putin “wants legal recognition to what he has stolen” and warned that allowing territorial changes by force would set a dangerous precedent, undermining international law. Zelensky reiterated that Ukraine’s borders cannot be changed by coercion, and that the aggressor must fully account for the destruction caused during the war.
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The initial Trump-backed plan drew criticism from European leaders, who argued that it was too favorable to Moscow. Under the original draft, Ukraine would have had to reduce its army to 600,000 personnel and accept Russian control over parts of the Donetsk and Crimea regions. However, over the weekend, revisions and clarifications were reportedly made to the plan during the Geneva talks, incorporating input from Ukraine and its European allies. Details remain somewhat murky, as Russia claims it has yet to see the updated proposal, though it has expressed willingness to continue discussions.
On the European side, a counter-proposal was reportedly drafted, introducing changes such as a slightly larger cap on Ukraine’s armed forces, conditional NATO membership, and security guarantees akin to NATO’s Article 5. It also suggests that occupied Ukrainian territories would only be recovered through negotiations rather than military action. European leaders, including Ursula von der Leyen, have described the talks as laying a "solid basis" for moving forward, even though significant work remains to finalize any agreement.
Reactions among Ukrainian soldiers and citizens have been mixed. Some see the proposals as necessary steps toward ending the conflict, while others view them as a capitulation that could compromise Ukraine’s sovereignty. On the ground in cities like Kharkiv, where recent Russian drone attacks killed four civilians overnight, the war’s toll is painfully visible, adding urgency to the search for a viable peace plan.
Tomorrow, the “Coalition of the Willing”—a group of countries committed to supporting Ukraine—will hold further virtual discussions to push the negotiations along. As Zelensky awaits a full report from his delegation returning from Geneva, the world watches closely, aware that the decisions made in the coming days could shape the future of Ukraine and the broader European security landscape.
In short, while cautious optimism has been voiced by Trump and some European leaders, Ukraine’s resolve to protect its borders and the mixed reactions from its soldiers underscore the complexity and high stakes of these ongoing peace talks.
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