Shifting Sands: The Pursuit of Peace in Ukraine Amid Diplomatic Efforts

Wed Nov 26 2025 22:59:00 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Amidst intense diplomatic activities, peace prospects in Ukraine appear to be evolving. With Trump's remarks suggesting closeness to a deal, and Zelensky expressing renewed hope, the situation remains complex as both sides face significant challenges.

After an intense period of diplomatic negotiations involving both U.S. and European leaders, the potential for peace in Ukraine seems to have improved. Trump's assertion of nearing a deal and Zelensky's optimistic remarks contrast with the muted response from Russia. Key issues like territory, security guarantees, and military limitations remain as hurdles that need to be addressed. As diplomatic efforts continue, uncertainties and concerns linger about the future of Ukraine amidst ongoing negotiations.

Are we any closer to peace in Ukraine? After a frantic, often confusing few days of diplomacy, Donald Trump seems to think so.

We're getting very close to a deal, he told reporters on Tuesday.

For his part, Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelensky, who had looked and sounded grim over the weekend, said there were now many prospects that can make the path to peace real.

There are significant results, he said, after reviewing the results of Sunday's key discussions in Geneva, and there is still much work to be done.

But from the Russians, apart from some discontented mutterings about European involvement and unauthorized leaks, the response has been somewhat muted. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said on Wednesday that Moscow viewed some elements of the latest draft positively but many require special discussions among experts.

Expanding on the evolving landscape, President Vladimir Putin's spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, remarked it was premature to think that a deal was close.

The prior week seems like aeons ago, when a leaked draft of a 28-point US plan to end the war initially emerged, causing concern in Kyiv. The plan's references to territorial concessions led many to label it as a Russian wish list.

By the weekend, European leaders had drafted a counter-proposal which shifted the terminology towards negotiations on territorial swaps and reinforced language on security guarantees, a crucial issue for Kyiv.

The latest version of the peace plan has been slimmed down to just 19 points, leaving significant issues regarding territory and Ukraine's relations with NATO for further consideration by Trump and Zelensky.

Daniel Fried, a former US assistant secretary of state, stated, We are now on a fast track to something, highlighting the urgency yet uncertainty surrounding the negotiations.

Ukraine's military intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, commented on the tight handling of the new discussions amidst past leaks, emphasizing the critical need for reliable security guarantees in any final agreement.

With upcoming discussions in Moscow amidst reports of possible efforts to form a multinational reassurance force, the diplomatic machinery is evidently still in motion, albeit laden with complexities and unanswered questions surrounding Ukraine's territorial integrity and future security.