Diplomats face an uphill task reconciling Russian and Ukrainian “red lines” as a renewed U.S.-led push to end the war advances. Ukrainian officials met U.S. envoys over the weekend, and American representatives are expected in Moscow this week, after President Donald Trump’s peace plan was publicly released last month and then revised following U.S.-Ukraine talks in Geneva.
The revised plan drew mixed reactions: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called it potentially “workable,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said it could be a “basis” for agreement, and Trump said there is “a good chance we can make a deal.” Still, both Kyiv and Moscow signaled major hurdles remain, chiefly whether Ukraine would cede territory to Russia and what security guarantees Kyiv would receive.
U.S. envoys met Ukrainian officials, then plan to meet Russians. Ukraine’s national security council head Rustem Umerov, the head of Ukraine’s armed forces Andrii Hnatov, presidential adviser Oleksandr Bevz and others held a roughly four-hour session with U.S. officials. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the meeting as productive but said much work remains. Umerov thanked the U.S. for its support but disclosed few details.
Former presidential chief of staff and lead negotiator Andrii Yermak resigned amid a corruption scandal and is no longer on the negotiating team; he had participated in talks that led to the Geneva revisions. Trump said he would send envoy Steve Witkoff to Russia; the Kremlin confirmed Putin will meet Witkoff. Questions surfaced about Witkoff’s role after reports he coached Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s foreign affairs adviser, on how to present the plan to Trump, though both Moscow and Washington downplayed those reports.
Where the sides stand
Both Kyiv and Moscow have publicly welcomed the renewed push, but fighting continues and Russia has reiterated maximalist demands. Putin said he would press on until Ukrainian troops withdraw from all four regions Russia annexed in 2022 but does not fully control, adding that if Kyiv does not withdraw, Russia will use force to obtain that result. He described the plan as a possible starting point that requires “a serious discussion.”
Zelenskyy has not negotiated details publicly; he has thanked Trump for his efforts and stressed Europe’s role and the need for strong security guarantees. The initial version of the U.S. plan included concessions Ukraine views as unacceptable, such as ceding territory Moscow does not fully occupy and abandoning aspirations to join NATO. Zelenskyy has repeatedly stated giving up land is not an option. Bevz said Zelenskyy wants to discuss the territorial issue with Trump directly, and Yermak told The Atlantic that Zelenskyy would not sign away Ukrainian land.
On security, Zelenskyy argues NATO membership is the most affordable and reliable guarantee; NATO’s members have said Ukraine is on an “irreversible” path to membership. Trump has indicated NATO membership for Ukraine is off the table. Moscow has opposed any Western peacekeeping force on Ukrainian soil and has framed excluding Ukraine from NATO as a core war objective.
Pressure and perceptions
Zelenskyy faces domestic pressure after Yermak’s resignation—an event some viewed as necessary reform though neither has been formally accused of wrongdoing. He insists Ukraine will not make mistakes and will continue the struggle. Putin, for his part, projects confidence, highlighting battlefield advances and, according to analysts, believes he can wait for Kyiv to reach terms more favorable to Moscow. Tatiana Stanovaya of the Carnegie Russia and Eurasia Center wrote that the Kremlin logic is to see whether American diplomacy can move Kyiv toward Russian terms; if not, Moscow feels prepared to proceed by other means.
Europe’s conundrum
NATO and EU meetings this week focus on Ukraine. Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. In Brussels, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte is hosting Ukrainian Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal while EU defense and foreign ministers discuss European military support and defense readiness; NATO foreign ministers meet later in the week.
A key European issue is what to do with frozen Russian assets in Belgium, which an early version of the U.S. plan proposed using for post-war investment in Ukraine. Those funds are central to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s plan to sustain Ukrainian support while keeping pressure on Russia, but Belgium’s prime minister has hesitated, citing legal risks, potential effects on the euro and fear of Russian retaliation.
Observers say Trump’s diplomacy has exposed European weaknesses: despite being the main source of Ukraine’s economic and military backing, Europe has been marginal to the diplomatic process and has offered only amendments to America’s draft, Nigel Gould-Davies of the International Institute for Strategic Studies wrote.
Outlook
Despite public optimism from leaders, deep disagreements remain over territory and security. With talks moving between Washington, Kyiv and Moscow, and European capitals weighing legal, financial and political implications, diplomats face a long and delicate negotiation to bridge positions that, for now, remain far apart.
