U.S., Ukraine say Geneva talks make 'progress' but differences remain

U.S. and Ukrainian representatives said on Sunday that their talks in Geneva on the 28-point plan to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict had "made progress," but details remain unsettled as differences still need to be narrowed.

Following a meeting between the Ukrainian delegation and national security advisers from Britain, France and Germany, the Ukrainian side held bilateral talks with the U.S. representatives later in the day.

In the evening, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian Presidential Office, briefed reporters and issued separate statements.

Rubio said the talks were the "most productive and meaningful" since the process began, noting that the delegations had worked through key points one by one and had made "good progress." He said the teams were now reviewing suggestions raised during the meeting and making efforts to narrow some remaining differences.

He added that both the U.S. and Ukrainian sides were moving closer to a text they could agree on, although the final outcome would still require approval from the two presidents.

Yermak described the talk with U.S. delegations as "very productive," confirming that "very good progress" was made toward achieving a "just and lasting peace." He said both sides would continue working through proposals in the coming days and would also engage European partners as the process moves forward.

Both sides refused to take questions from reporters, explaining that their teams were still working on updates and preparations regarding several issues.

Rubio declines to disclose details

Although the U.S. and Ukrainian sides told reporters to wait for updates later in the evening, only Rubio returned to the press two and a half hours later.

However, he declined to reveal any details of the day's discussions in Geneva between the United States, Ukraine, and European partners on the 28-point peace plan.

He said he was not prepared to provide any details on the specific issues under negotiation.

Rubio reiterated that the day's negotiations had been "productive," adding that he remained "very optimistic" about reaching an agreement within a "very reasonable period of time very soon."

However, he also noted that "There's no agreement yet … (some) require higher-level decisions and consultation." He added that the differences include semantics or language, and there are still issues "need more time to work through."

"The items that remain open are not insurmountable," he emphasized. He added that some contents involve equities or the role of the European Union or of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, requiring further discussion with the European partners.

Vast differences remain

Following the talks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on social media that it was essential to ensure that "the steps to end the war are effective, and that everything is doable."

Russia has not yet responded to the outcome of the U.S.-Ukraine Geneva talks. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that the 28-point plan could serve as a basis for a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine crisis.

Ahead of the talks, reports indicated that Ukraine and European parties were highly dissatisfied with the U.S. proposal, though they refrained from direct rejection or public criticism. Some sources revealed that the European side had never formally received the 28-point plan proposed by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Saturday that ending the crisis in Ukraine requires the consent of both Ukraine and its European partners, rather than major powers.

Merz noted that reliable security guarantees must be established for Ukraine. While acknowledging there is currently a chance to end the conflict, he cautioned that the parties remain far from a common, satisfactory result.

Diao Daming, a professor at the School of International Studies of Renmin University of China, said the 28-point plan faces multiple challenges.

The introduction of the plan by the U.S. side is driven by an eagerness to achieve a ceasefire to serve its geopolitical interests and domestic campaign promises, Diao told China Media Group.

Although there is room for adjustment regarding the content of the 28-point plan, the vast differences in interests among the U.S., Russia, Ukraine, and Europe would leave its final implementation extremely uncertain, he said.

(With input from Xinhua)