U.S., Ukraine report progress on peace blueprint

Top U.S. and Ukrainian officials said Sunday that they were making progress toward ending Russia's war on Ukraine but provided scant details as they discussed the American proposal to achieve peace despite concerns among many of Washington's European allies that the plan was far too conciliatory to Moscow.

- BY MARK CARLSON, KATIE MARIE DAVIES AND WILL WEISSERT

ANDRIY YERMAK, shown last month, headed Ukraine's delegation in Geneva.

(ILYAS TAYFUN SALCI Anadolu)

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said high-stakes talks in Geneva were "very worthwhile" and constituted the most productive day in "a very long time."

"I feel very optimistic that we can get something done," Rubio said.

But he offered little information on what was discussed. He also downplayed a Thursday deadline set by President Trump for Ukraine to respond to the plan, saying that officials want to see fighting stop as soon as possible and that they could keep negotiating Monday and beyond. He said that higher-level officials may eventually have to get involved.

"This is a very delicate moment," Rubio said. "Some of it is semantics, or language. Others require higher-level decisions and consultations. Others, I think, just need more time to work through."

The 28-point blueprint drawn up by the U.S. to end the nearly four-year war has sparked alarm in Kyiv and European capitals. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said his country could face a stark choice between standing up for its sovereign rights and preserving the American support it needs.

The proposal acquiesces to many Russian demands that Zelensky has categorically rejected on dozens of occasions, including giving up large pieces of territory.

Concerns intensified after a bipartisan group of U.S. senators said Rubio told them Saturday that the plan had originated with Russia and was actually a "wish list" for Moscow, rather than a serious push for peace.

The Ukrainian leader has vowed that his people "will always defend" their home.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that he'd spoken to Trump and made clear that there were parts of the plan key European nations could agree on but others where they could not.