The Japan Times - Washington seeking to 'iron out' Trump proposal details with Ukrainians in Geneva

US President Donald Trump has given Ukraine until November 27 to approve his controversial plan to end the nearly four-year conflict, but Kyiv is seeking changes to a draft that accepts a range of Russia's hardline demands.

Before the Ukrainian delegation met with the Americans Sunday afternoon, President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed that "diplomacy has been reinvigorated", voicing hope "the conversation can be constructive".

"The bloodshed must be stopped," he said on X, insisting: "We all need a positive outcome".

In Geneva, Ukraine's top negotiator Andriy Yermak said his delegation had met with high-level officials from Britain, France and Germany before heading into the meeting with Rubio.

The 28-point plan would require the invaded country to cede territory, cut its army and pledge never to join NATO. Trump told reporters Saturday it was not his final offer and he hoped to stop the fighting "one way or the other".

"Today we hope to iron out the final details of the peace agreement," a US official told AFP Sunday, asking not to be named.

- Recognise European 'centrality' -

The US plan was drafted without input from Ukraine or its European allies, leaving them scrambling to come up with a counter-offer to strengthen Kyiv's position.

"Ukraine must have the freedom and sovereign right to choose its own destiny. They have chosen a European destiny," EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement, stressing that the "centrality" of the European Union's role must be "fully reflected" in any peace plan.

Ukraine's European allies gathered at the G20 summit in South Africa stressed that the US plan requires "additional work".

"We are clear on the principle that borders must not be changed by force. We are also concerned by the proposed limitations on Ukraine's armed forces, which would leave Ukraine vulnerable to future attack," the leaders of key European countries, Canada and Japan said in a joint statement.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere meanwhile warned of "major flaws" in the US plan.

"One of them is to get Europe at the table and, not least, get Ukraine at the table," he told AFP in South Africa.

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the senior officials were meeting in Geneva "to take things further forward", stressing the importance of solid "security guarantees" for Ukraine under any settlement.

French President Emmanuel Macron meanwhile told a news conference at the G20 that the plan contained points that had to be more broadly discussed as they concerned European allies, such as Ukraine's NATO ties and Russian frozen assets held in the EU.

He said the 30 countries in the "coalition of the willing" supporting Kyiv will hold a video call on Tuesday following the Geneva talks.

European Union countries were also planning to meet to discuss the Ukraine situation on the sidelines of a meeting with African leaders in Angola on Monday.

- 'Wish list' -

The Kremlin has welcomed the Trump plan, but there were no plans Russian officials to join Sunday's talks, according to the US official.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has meanwhile said the blueprint could "lay the foundation" for a final peace settlement, but threatened more land seizures if Ukraine walked away from negotiations.

Ahead of Sunday's talks, Washington insisted the Trump proposal was official US policy, denying claims by a group of US senators that Rubio told them the document was a Russian "wish list".

Rubio himself insisted on social media late Saturday that "the peace proposal was authored by the US".

"It is offered as a strong framework for ongoing negotiations. It is based on input from the Russian side. But it is also based on previous and ongoing input from Ukraine."

Zelensky said in an address to the nation on Friday that Ukraine faces one of the most challenging moments in its history, adding that he would propose "alternatives" to Trump's plan.

"The pressure on Ukraine is one of the hardest. Ukraine may face a very difficult choice: either the loss of dignity or the risk of losing a key partner," Zelensky said, referring to a possible break with Washington.

S.Yamada--JT