Zürcher Nachrichten - US says 'very optimistic' on Ukraine plan as Geneva talks end

The head of Ukraine's delegation Andriy Yermak also told reporters earlier that the sides had made "very good progress", and were "moving forward to the just and lasting peace Ukrainian people deserve".

US President Donald Trump had given Ukraine until November 27 to approve his controversial plan to end the nearly four-year conflict that erupted after Russia launched its full-scale invasion.

But Kyiv is seeking changes to a draft that accepts a range of Russia's hardline demands, with the 28-point plan requiring the invaded country to cede territory, cut its army and pledge never to join NATO.

Rubio, whose delegation included Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and diplomatic envoy Steve Witkoff, told reporters that the work to narrow the areas of disagreement had advanced "in a very substantial way".

"I can tell you that the items that remain open are not insurmountable," he said, adding "I honestly believe we'll get there."

Rubio stressed that any final agreement would "have to be agreed upon by the presidents, and there are a couple issues that we need to continue to work on" before trying to bring onboard the Kremlin, which welcomed the original proposal.

"Obviously, the Russians get a vote."

- 'Zero gratitude' claim -

His comments came after Trump earlier lashed out at Ukraine as the talks in Geneva were underway.

"UKRAINE 'LEADERSHIP' HAS EXPRESSED ZERO GRATITUDE FOR OUR EFFORTS," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, also accusing European countries of not doing enough to stop the war, but offering no direct condemnation of Moscow.

Not long after, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on X that his country was "grateful to the United States... and personally to President Trump" for the assistance that has been "saving Ukrainian lives".

The Ukrainian delegation meanwhile referred to a new version of the US draft plan, which has yet to be published, saying it "already reflects most of Ukraine's key priorities".

At the end of the day, Rubio said he thought Trump was "quite pleased at the reports we've given him about the amount of progress that's been made".

Asked about whether he believed a deal could be reached by Thursday, as demanded by the US president, he said "the deadline is we want to get this done as soon as possible".

"I think we made a tremendous amount of progress. I feel very optimistic that we're going to get there in a very reasonable period of time, very soon."

The US delegation in Geneva also included US Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll and also, surprisingly, Alexus Grynkewich, the NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe.

Grynkewich did not attend in his NATO capacity but as a senior US military representative, according to a senior NATO official who did not wish to be named.

- European 'centrality' -

Rubio said that his delegation had met Sunday with "national security advisors from various European countries".

Ukraine's delegation also met with high-level officials from Britain, France and Germany.

The US plan was drafted without input from Ukraine's European allies, who were scrambling Sunday to make their voices heard and boost Kyiv's position.

"Ukraine must have the freedom and sovereign right to choose its own destiny. They have chosen a European destiny," EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement, stressing that the "centrality" of the European Union's role must be "fully reflected" in any peace plan.

"The task now is to make the 28-point plan presented by the American government a viable document," German Chancellor Friedrich Merz meanwhile said at the G20 summit in Johannesburg, adding that he had made a proposal being discussed in Geneva in that direction.

European Union countries were planning to meet to discuss the Ukraine situation on the sidelines of a meeting with African leaders in Angola on Monday.

And French President Emmanuel Macron, who spoke on the phone with Zelensky Sunday, said the 30 countries in the "coalition of the willing" supporting Kyiv would hold a video call on Tuesday.

A number of leaders also called Trump Sunday, with Downing Street saying UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the US president had agreed "that we all must work together at this critical moment to bring about a just and lasting peace".

Finnish President Alexander Stubb told AFP that he and Italian leader Giorgia Meloni also called Trump Sunday to discuss his Ukraine proposal.

Meloni later told reporters at the G20 that while there were points in the US plan "that certainly need to be discussed", there was no need for a "complete counterproposal".

W.F.Portman--NZN