European officials welcome progress in talks on US proposals to end
Russia-Ukraine war
[November 24, 2025]
By BARRY HATTON
European officials welcomed Monday what they said were steps in the
right direction at talks in Geneva on U.S. peace proposals seen as
heavily favoring Russia after its invasion of Ukraine, but they offered
few details and warned the discussions still have a long way to go.
“The negotiations were a step forward, but there are still major issues
which remain to be resolved,” Finnish President Alexander Stubb wrote on
social platform X about Sunday’s meeting in Switzerland.
The talks went over a 28-point peace proposal presented last week by the
United States that triggered alarm in Kyiv and European capitals by
heavily favoring Moscow’s demands.
The plan pressed Ukraine to consent to handing over some of its
territory to Moscow and slashing the size of its army, leaving it
vulnerable. The proposal also sought Europe’s agreement that Ukraine
will never be admitted into the NATO military alliance, though the
alliance has previously said Ukraine is on an “irreversible path” to
membership.
The surprise emergence of the peace plan coincided with a bleak period
for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, with the war less than
three months shy of its fourth anniversary.
It is under severe strain on the front line against Russia’s bigger
army, it is short of money, and Zelenskyy is trying to defuse a major
corruption scandal that has tainted his government.
The Geneva meeting offered some hope for Kyiv. “Diplomacy has been
reinvigorated, and that’s good. Very good,” Zelenskyy said late Sunday.
It wasn’t clear whether the talks would continue on Monday. Crucially,
the Kremlin has not yet voiced its opinion on the latest developments.
German Foreign Minister Johannes Wadephul said U.S. Secretary of State
Marco Rubio, who directed the talks in Switzerland, “made decisive
positive contributions to ensuring that this plan can be accepted by
both the European and Ukrainian sides.”
“I would like to say that all issues concerning Europe or NATO have been
removed from this plan, which is a decisive success that we achieved
yesterday,” he told public broadcaster Deutschlandradio.
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A paramedic gives first aid to a resident who was injured in a
Russian airstrike in Kharkiv, Ukraine, late Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025.
(AP Photo/Andrii Marienko)
Rubio said Sunday the talks 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.
However, the grim reality of war still cast a pall over Ukraine as
Russian forces kept up their deadly and devastating strikes on
civilian areas.
Russian drones hit residential areas of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s
second-largest city overnight, killing four people and wounding 13,
including two children, authorities said.
Eight residential buildings, an educational facility and power lines
were damaged in the attack, according to the head of the regional
military administration, Oleh Syniehubov.
Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office published photos showing homes
on fire, rubble scattered across backyards and firefighters and war
crimes prosecutors working on site.
Ukraine’s air force says Russia fired 162 strike and decoy drones
over the country overnight.
Russia also resumed its nighttime drone attacks on Ukraine’s
civilian and port infrastructure close to Romania’s border, the NATO
member’s defense ministry said Monday.
Romania scrambled two Eurofighter Typhoon jets and two F-16s in
response to drones near its border, the ministry said.
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