Geneva Talks Yield Progress on Potential Ukraine-Russia Peace Framework
U.S. adn Ukrainian officials meeting in Geneva have reported progress toward a potential framework for ending the war with Russia, though details remain limited. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated Sunday there was an understanding the U.S. would consider “a number of elements” crucial to Ukraine in any peace deal, without specifying those elements.
the discussions come amid scrutiny of a reported peace plan, initially described by some U.S. lawmakers – including Senator Marco Rubio – as potentially aligning with russian interests.The U.S. State Department refuted claims that the plan was a russian ”wish list,” and Rubio subsequently suggested online that senators may have misinterpreted his earlier comments. Senator Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee, described the plan as resembling “russian talking points” and causing concern among European allies.
Meanwhile, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk indicated Warsaw is prepared to collaborate on the plan with European leaders, Canada, and Japan, but expressed a desire for clarity regarding its origins.
Separately, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced plans to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday to discuss reviving the Black Sea Grain Initiative, a deal brokered in July 2022 that facilitated safe passage for Ukrainian grain exports. Russia withdrew from the agreement in 2023, citing unfulfilled commitments regarding its own food and fertilizer exports. Erdogan’s initiative follows a recent meeting with Zelenskyy in Ankara.
Ukraine continues to bolster its domestic arms industry, highlighted by a recent arms conference in Lviv, held in an underground parking garage to avoid potential Russian airstrikes.
