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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday that recent negotiations with the United States had achieved “important steps” toward ending the war with Russia, but stressed that a lasting peace deal still required further progress.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin said it had not been formally notified about the outcome of the talks, which focused on a 28-point U.S. peace plan reportedly resembling key Russian demands, including NATO withdrawal and territorial concessions.
The Geneva talks on Sunday, attended by U.S., Ukrainian, and European delegations, resulted in a revised peace framework that the White House described as an effort to ensure a "sustainable and just peace" while preserving Ukraine’s sovereignty.
Speaking via video link at a conference in Sweden, Zelenskyy said Ukraine and the United States had coordinated on highly sensitive issues. Among the agreed points, he highlighted the "full release of all Ukrainian prisoners of war under the all-for-all formula and civilians, and the complete return of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia."
"These are important steps," Zelenskyy said, "but to achieve real peace, more, more is needed." He added that Ukraine is at a "critical moment" in the war and emphasized the need to pursue compromises that "strengthen but not weaken us."
Kyiv has repeatedly accused Russia of unlawfully transferring children from occupied Ukrainian territories to Russia, and the president made clear that the return of these children remains a non-negotiable demand.
While most provisions of the U.S. proposal—such as troop size limits and control of the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant—are reportedly agreed upon, remaining issues include Ukraine’s renunciation of NATO membership and territorial concessions, both of which would require constitutional changes.
Responding to questions in Moscow on Monday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the Russian government had not received any official communication from Washington regarding the results of the Geneva meeting.
"We are closely monitoring the reports," Peskov said. "We have not received formal information about the outcome of the negotiations. We will wait. It appears the process is ongoing."
Asked about claims that the U.S. had altered its original peace proposal during the Geneva meeting, Peskov stressed that Russia would only respond to information delivered through official channels. "According to what has been conveyed through official channels, we are not in possession of such details," he said.
Peskov also noted that there were no current plans for a new round of talks between Moscow and Washington on the peace initiative, but added that Russia remains open to such discussions.
Several provisions of the peace plan are expected to be discussed at a potential meeting between President Donald Trump and President Zelenskyy, according to U.S. media. While no date has been confirmed, U.S. officials said the meeting could take place this week or next, depending on diplomatic progress. Trump has reportedly urged for a final deal to be in place by Thanksgiving, which falls on November 27 this year.
European Union leaders are also holding urgent closed-door consultations on the sidelines of the EU–African Union summit in Luanda, Angola, seeking to formulate a coordinated response to the revised proposal.
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