Washington, Kyiv say a peace deal must ‘fully uphold’ Ukraine sovereignty

GENEVA, November 24 — Representatives from the United States and Ukraine released a joint statement today, confirming that any future agreement to end the war with Russia must fully uphold Ukraine’s sovereignty.

The statement followed a day of “constructive” talks in Geneva between US, Ukrainian, and European officials regarding a US-backed peace proposal.

New Peace Framework Drafted
The talks focused on a controversial peace proposal championed by US President Donald Trump, which had previously faced criticism for accepting concessions to Russia, including territorial cessions and limits on Ukraine’s military size.

The joint statement indicates significant progress was made:

New Draft: Negotiators drafted an “updated and refined peace framework” as a result of the discussions.

Red Line: Both sides strongly reaffirmed that any future agreement must “fully uphold Ukraine’s sovereignty and deliver a sustainable and just peace.”

Next Steps: The US and Ukraine agreed to continue intensive work on joint proposals “in the coming days.”

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who led the US delegation, called the progress “tremendous” and said the remaining disagreements were “not insurmountable.”

Context of Conflict
The high-level talks came with increased urgency as President Trump had reportedly given Ukraine a deadline of November 27 to approve the initial plan. Kyiv and its European allies had previously sought major changes to the draft.

Even as the White House hailed the talks as a “significant step forward,” the ongoing conflict highlighted the risk, with a Russian drone strike on the major Ukrainian city of Kharkiv reportedly killing four people.

Final decisions regarding the peace framework will be made by the Presidents of Ukraine and the United States.