Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signaled new momentum in the search for a settlement to the war with Russia, backing the latest U.S.-drafted framework and stressing that its core ideas "can be developed into deeper agreements." The endorsement came as President Donald Trump ordered parallel diplomatic missions to Moscow and Kyiv, a move aimed at closing out what both sides describe as the final phase of negotiations. With U.S., Ukrainian and Russian envoys now shuttling across multiple countries, officials say the pace of diplomacy has accelerated sharply.
Zelenskyy said in a post on X that Ukrainian negotiators reviewed the updated text with U.S. officials during talks in Geneva. He wrote that "it is in our shared interest that security is real" and emphasized Washington's role in constraining Moscow. "Much depends on the United States because it is America's strength that Russia takes most seriously," Zelenskyy said, adding, "I count on continued active cooperation with the American side and President Trump. I thank everyone who stands with Ukraine."
The announcement followed Trump's declaration on Truth Social that the talks had made "tremendous progress" in recent days. Trump said the original 28-point proposal had been reshaped following feedback from Kyiv and Moscow and that only a "few remaining points of disagreement" still required resolution. He directed Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to meet President Vladimir Putin in Moscow while Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll holds talks with Ukrainian officials. "In the hopes of finalising this Peace Plan," Trump wrote, "I have directed my Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to meet with President Putin in Moscow and, at the same time, Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll will be meeting with the Ukrainians."
Trump said he intends to meet both leaders "ONLY when the deal to end this War is FINAL or in its final stages." He added that Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles will brief him as the process continues.
Ukrainian officials said negotiators reached a "common understanding" of the essential terms during consultations in Geneva and follow-up sessions in Abu Dhabi. National security adviser Rustem Umerov said the framework reflects shared principles that could form a final agreement, adding that Kyiv hopes to arrange a U.S. visit for Zelenskyy "at the earliest suitable date." A senior U.S. official confirmed discussions but said no trip has yet been finalized.
Driscoll met Russian representatives for hours in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, with a U.S. military official describing him as "very optimistic." Ukrainian negotiators were present in the UAE and in contact with the U.S. side, though no three-way session took place. White House officials said the tempo of the talks reflects heightened urgency.
Moscow has not issued a formal reply to Kyiv's acceptance of the framework. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the government welcomed U.S. engagement but would not comment until receiving the revised proposal. Lavrov added that the document would need to reflect what he called the "basic tenets" discussed between Trump and Putin in Alaska. "If there will be no spirit and letter of Anchorage on the key understandings that we have fixated, then it will be a different situation in principle," he said.
Contentious points are still being debated. Earlier drafts contained provisions Ukraine previously rejected, including the surrender of the entire Donetsk region and the abandonment of its NATO bid. A separate U.S. document outlining "security assurances" for Ukraine drew comparisons in Kyiv to the collective-defense structure of NATO's Article 5.
The White House said over the weekend that negotiators completed an "updated and refined peace framework" after the latest round in Geneva. Trump meanwhile has urged both sides to secure peace "as soon as possible," arguing the war "would have NEVER started" had he been president in 2022. Officials caution that no timeline has been set as teams continue to work through unresolved issues in Abu Dhabi and in the United States.
