Ukrainian officials spent the weekend rushing to catch up on talks with the U.S. over a peace plan aimed at ending the war with Russia, balancing the need to engage with Washington while safeguarding sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The discussions took place in Switzerland after reports surfaced that Russia and the White House had secretly drafted a 28-point peace plan, largely favoring Moscow’s demands. The plan, which excluded Ukraine, proposed territorial and military concessions, including handing over parts of the Donbas region and reducing Ukraine’s army by 50%, crossing Kyiv’s “red lines.”

U.S. President Donald Trump set a Thursday deadline for Ukraine to respond, while Russian President Vladimir Putin endorsed the plan as the “basis of a final peace settlement.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the moment as one of the most difficult in Ukraine’s history, facing a choice between “losing its dignity or losing a key partner,” referring to the U.S.

Progress and Pressure

Over the weekend, talks involving U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and a Ukrainian delegation led by Zelenskyy’s aide Andriy Yermak reportedly made “tremendous progress,” with an updated and refined peace framework developed for further work.

While Ukraine may have signaled acceptance that NATO membership is unlikely—one of Russia’s key demands—it emphasized that postwar security guarantees remain crucial. Kyiv has also resisted ceding occupied territories, concerned that Russia might regroup and launch further invasions. Ukraine insists on a “just and lasting peace” rather than a temporary compromise.

Rubio highlighted that security guarantees are part of the negotiations but stressed that any agreement would require Russia’s approval to succeed.

Trump, meanwhile, expressed skepticism on social media, posting: “Is it really possible that big progress is being made in Peace Talks between Russia and Ukraine??? Don’t believe it until you see it, but something good just may be happening.”

Ukraine’s Red Lines

Zelenskyy described the talks as “substantive,” emphasizing that decisions must be practical and sustainable to ensure lasting peace and security. Lawmaker Oleksiy Goncharenko confirmed that while some points of the proposal are unacceptable, the framework provides a starting point for diplomacy.

Key Ukrainian red lines include:

• Maintaining control over currently held territories, particularly parts of the Donbas region with large fortified cities.
• Ensuring any peace deal freezes the conflict at the current front line, without conceding additional ground.
• Securing guaranteed postwar security protections for the nation.

Goncharenko stated: “The freezing of the conflict, the peace deal should be reached on the current [front] line… we need to stick to this.”

Ukraine’s response in the coming days will be closely watched, as both the U.S. and Russia apply diplomatic and political pressure while Kyiv seeks a balance between compromise and national sovereignty.