US and Ukraine work on 'refined' peace plan to end war with Russia

Trump’s peace plan criticised as favouring Russia, faces opposition; European allies propose counter-plan

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A girl reacts as her mother was killed during a Russia drone strike in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Sunday. — REUTERS

(REUTERS)

The United States and Ukraine sought on Monday to narrow the gaps in a peace plan to end the war with Russia after agreeing to modify a US proposal that Kyiv and its European allies saw as a Kremlin wish list.

Washington and Kyiv said in a joint statement they had drafted a “refined peace framework” after talks in Geneva on Sunday. Though there were no specifics, the dialogue received a cautious welcome from some of Ukraine’s allies.

The US blindsided Kyiv and European countries with a 28-point peace plan last week, giving Ukraine until Thursday to agree to a framework to end Europe’s deadliest war since World War Two.

The sudden push raises the pressure on Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is now at his most vulnerable since the start of the war after a corruption scandal saw two of his ministers dismissed and as Russia makes battlefield gains. He could struggle to get Ukrainians to swallow a deal viewed as selling out their interests.

After Sunday’s talks, no public statement was released on how the revised plan would handle contentious issues such as how to guarantee Ukraine's security against future Russian threats and how to fund the rebuilding of Ukraine. Zelensky said negotiations were ongoing, while the Kremlin said nothing had officially been conveyed to Russia.