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By Lucas Reid | Staff Writer with Agencies
Talks between the United States and Ukraine in Switzerland have entered a critical phase. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday that the discussions are the most productive and meaningful since efforts began to end the war between Russia and Ukraine, a conflict that has continued since early 2022. Officials from both nations are reviewing a 28-point draft plan aimed at stopping the fighting. According to reports from the BBC, President Donald Trump wants Ukraine to decide on the proposal by Thursday.
The contents of the draft immediately sparked international concern. The plan suggests allowing Russia to gain more Ukrainian territory than it currently controls. It includes limits on the size of Ukraine’s armed forces and blocks any possibility of Ukrainian membership in NATO. These points closely reflect Russia’s long-standing demands. European leaders responded cautiously. Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on social media that Europe is prepared to work toward a deal, although he noted significant reservations. Tusk questioned who actually authored the proposal and where it originated.
That uncertainty became central to the diplomatic dispute. A bipartisan group of U.S. Senators said Rubio privately told them the plan was not written by the United States and did not represent the sole position of the Trump administration. They said it was drafted by Russia and then handed to U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff. Senator Angus King said the document looked like a wish list presented by Moscow.
The State Department rejected that interpretation. Spokespeople called King’s statement patently false and insisted that the proposal reflects the position of the Trump administration. Rubio later wrote that the peace plan was authored by the United States. He added that although it includes input from Russia, it also incorporates ongoing contributions from Ukraine.
The draft contains a number of provisions that would dramatically reshape the geopolitical map. It proposes that the remaining Ukrainian-held portions of the Donbas region be ceded to Russia. It calls for the United States to formally recognize Crimea, Luhansk, and Donetsk as Russian territory. It also demands that Ukraine reduce its total troop levels to six hundred thousand.
One of the most contentious clauses goes even further. The proposal says Russia should be reintegrated into the global economy. It recommends that Moscow be invited to rejoin the G8, the forum for the world’s most industrialized nations.
European governments are now weighing their response as pressure builds on Kyiv to accept or reject the framework. The coming days will determine whether the draft becomes the foundation for a genuine peace effort or the source of deeper international division.