US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday (Nov 25) that talks to end the Russia-Ukraine war were nearing an end and announced parallel missions to Moscow and Kiev as part of a push to complete a proposed US-drafted peace plan.
Trump wrote on Truth Social that his team had made “enormous progress” over the past week toward ending the war, which he reiterated “would NEVER have started” if he were president. He said 25,000 soldiers had died in the past month, arguing that the conflict required urgent action.
28 point plan “tuned”
Trump said the original 28-point US peace proposal, drawn up by Washington and widely criticized as accommodating Russian demands, had been “tweaked” with “additional input from both sides”. Only a few points of disagreement remain, he said, without elaborating.
The plan has since been revised to 19 points, according to Ukrainian officials, although Moscow insists only Trump’s original framework is acceptable.
Ambassadors to Moscow and Kiev
To move the process forward, Trump said he ordered special envoy Steve Witkoff to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. At the same time, Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll will meet with Ukrainian officials.
The White House earlier confirmed that US, Ukrainian and European officials met in Geneva over the weekend to discuss the revised draft.
Briefings for top officials
Trump said he would receive updates from Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.
The meeting with Putin and Zelensky “only” when the agreement is almost done
Trump said he hoped to meet with both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin, but only “when the agreement to end this war is FINAL or in its final stages.”
“Let us all hope that PEACE will be achieved ASAP!” he wrote
Zelensky signals readiness to intervene
Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that Ukraine was ready to push through a US-backed framework aimed at ending the war with Russia, stressing that any negotiations should include European allies and address points of contention directly with Trump.
Read also | Trump’s DOGE, once led by Elon Musk, refutes shutdown rumors
Ukraine is wary of Russian conditions
Zelensky’s remarks come amid ongoing discussions between U.S. and Ukrainian officials to ease differences over Trump’s proposed peace plan. The plan has faced criticism for potentially favoring Russia, with concerns that Ukraine could be pressured into territorial concessions.
In a speech to the Coalition of the Willing Allies, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters, Zelenskyy said: “We strongly believe that security decisions on Ukraine must include Ukraine, security decisions on Europe must include Europe… Because when something is decided behind the backs of a country or its people, there is always a high risk that it just won’t work.”
European allies called for involvement
Zelenskyy called on European leaders to take an active part in discussions, particularly on the deployment of “security forces” in Ukraine and maintaining support for Kiev until Moscow shows a willingness to end hostilities.
“This framework is on the table and we are ready to move forward together – with the US, with the personal involvement of President Trump,” he added.
Read also | Russia Rejects Any Move From Trump’s 28-Point Peace Plan
