Trump Hints at “Big Progress” in Ukraine Talks as Zelensky Warns Against Ceding Territory

Donald Trump suggested this week that significant movement may be underway in talks aimed at ending the war between Russia and Ukraine, following a weekend of negotiations in Geneva involving U.S., Ukrainian, and European officials.

He posted on social media that “something good just may be happening” in the peace process, inviting speculation that a breakthrough could be near.

Meanwhile, Volodymyr Zelenskyy reaffirmed that while Ukraine remains open to negotiations, it will not agree to any deal that forces it to accept Russian sovereignty over territories taken by force or restrict Ukraine’s future defense or alliance options. He described these as non-negotiable “red lines”.

The Geneva meetings reportedly focused on an updated version of a U.S.-draft 28-point peace framework. U.S. and Ukrainian officials say revisions were made to address Ukraine’s key concerns, including the legitimacy of territorial integrity, security guarantees, and use of frozen Russian assets.

Europe has welcomed the “new momentum” but cautioned that major gaps, especially in defense and sovereignty provisions, remain unresolved. Zelenskyy emphasized that any deal must not reward aggression or undermine the principle that borders cannot be changed by force.

For his part, Trump has pushed Kyiv to “get this done by Thanksgiving”, though his administration has described the deadline as flexible. Some U.S. lawmakers and European allies criticize the original U.S. draft for being too favorable to Moscow. The updated talks signal progress, but Zelenskyy warned Ukraine faces a stark choice between securing peace and protecting its dignity and freedom.

The coming days will test whether a real breakthrough is achievable and whether Ukraine can maintain its core red lines while confronting an increasingly urgent need to resolve a war now in its fourth year.

Source: The Guardian, Time, Washington Post