US, Ukraine Say They Have ‘Updated and Refined’ Peace Framework to End War

The new proposal places greater emphasis on security guarantees for Ukraine after a previous proposal was criticized as being too friendly to Moscow.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (R) and Ukraine's Presidential Office Chief of staff Andriy Yermak hold a press conference following their closed-door talks on a U.S. plan to end the war in Ukraine at the U.S. Mission in Geneva on Nov. 23, 2025. Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images

The United States and Ukraine have an “updated and refined” peace framework to end the war between Russian and Ukraine after a previous proposal was criticized by some as being too friendly to Moscow.

According to a joint statement issued by the White House on Nov. 23 after talks in Geneva, Switzerland, the new version of the agreement would provide stronger security guarantees to protect Ukraine from future attacks by Russia.

“Both sides … reaffirmed that any future agreement must fully uphold Ukraine’s sovereignty and deliver a sustainable and just peace,” the joint statement reads.

According to the White House, the Ukrainians said the deal “reflects their national interests.”

The two nations called the meeting “highly productive,” a sentiment echoed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

“It is my personal view that we’ve had probably the most productive and meaningful meeting so far in this entire process since we’ve been involved,” Rubio, who is leading the U.S. negotiations, told reporters on Nov. 23.

The Trump administration’s earlier peace plan received criticism from U.S. lawmakers on both sides of the aisle and officials from Europe for what some perceive as concessions to Russia.

While officials from his administration met with European and Ukrainian officials on Nov. 23 to discuss Washington-drafted plans to end the war, U.S. President Donald Trump criticized Ukrainian leadership in a post on social media.

“The War between Russia and Ukraine is a violent and terrible one that, with strong and proper U.S. and Ukrainian leadership, would have never happened,” Trump wrote. “Ukraine ‘leadership’ has expressed zero gratitude for our efforts, and Europe continues to buy oil from Russia.”

Less than three hours later, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed gratitude for U.S. leadership in a post on X.

“The leadership of the United States is important, we are grateful for everything that America and President Trump are doing for security, and we keep working as constructively as possible,” Zelenskyy wrote.

In a subsequent post, Zelenskyy said, “Ukraine is grateful to the United States, to every American heart, and personally to President Trump for the assistance that—starting with the Javelins—has been saving Ukrainian lives.”

Trump said on Nov. 21 that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had until Nov. 27 to approve the 28-point plan, which would compel Ukraine to renounce ambitions to join NATO, accept limits on its military, and cede territory.

For many in Ukraine, including those who have fought on the front lines for nearly four years, those terms are seen as potential capitulation after defending territory following an invasion that resulted in Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War Two. However, Trump said on Nov. 22 that the current U.S. proposal to end Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war is not the U.S. president’s final offer.

Both Trump and Zelenskyy would have to sign off on the final plan. Rubio said on Nov. 23 that he felt “very comfortable about that happening, given the progress we’ve made.”

European allies said they were not consulted while Washington was drafting the plan, leading to some confusion as to which parties were involved in formulating it.

Late Nov. 22, before traveling to Geneva, Rubio said on social media that the United States had authored the plan with “input from the Russia side” but “also based on previous and ongoing input from Ukraine.”

Multiple U.S. lawmakers had suggested that Russia had delivered the plan to U.S. officials.

Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) told reporters at a conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia, that Rubio had told him and other senators that “we are the recipients of a proposal that was delivered to one of our representatives.”

“It is not our recommendation, it is not our plan,” Rounds added.

Rep. Eugene Vindman (D-Va.) told MSNBC that he believed the plan was “basically drafted by Putin.”

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on social media on Nov. 23 that Poland, Europe, Canada, and Japan are ready to get to work on the plan, but that “it would be good to know for sure who is the author of the plan and where [it was] created.”

Zelenskyy celebrated the Nov. 23 meeting in Geneva and said, “It is good that diplomacy has been reinvigorated and that the conversation can be constructive.”

“The Ukrainian and American teams, as well as the teams of our European partners, are in close contact, and I do hope that there will be a result. The bloodshed must be stopped, and we must ensure that the war is never reignited,” he wrote on social media. “I am awaiting the results of today’s talks and hope that all participants will be constructive. We all need a positive outcome.”

The Ukrainian president had individually thanked all of Kyiv’s allies present at the meeting in Geneva in various posts on X late Nov. 22 and early on Nov. 23.

Erdogan to Speak With Putin on Monday

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said he would have a phone call with Putin on Nov. 24 to discuss efforts to end the war in Ukraine, adding that he would also request the resumption of a deal for safe passage of grains in the Black Sea.

Turkey, a NATO member, has kept up cordial relations with both Ukraine and Russia during the nearly four-year-long war, offering military assistance to Ukraine but not joining the West in sanctioning Moscow. Turkey has hosted three rounds of peace negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv in Istanbul and has offered to also host a leaders meeting.

During a press conference at the G20 summit in South Africa on Nov. 23, Erdogan said the 2022 Black Sea grain deal that was negotiated between Turkey and the United Nations could demonstrate a path forward for a peaceful end to the war in Ukraine.

“We were able to succeed in this up to a certain point and it did not continue after. Now, during the discussions we will have tomorrow, I will again ask Mr. Putin about this. I think it would be very beneficial if we can start this process,” he said.

Reuters contributed to this report.