Umerov: Latest U.S. peace proposal aligns with Ukraine’s core interests

In a statement posted to Telegram, Umerov said Ukraine “values the constructive engagement with the United States and Washington’s careful consideration of our proposals — this is what allows us to move forward together.”

He added that Kyiv hopes to see further progress throughout the day as negotiations continue in Geneva.

Nine senior officials are representing Ukraine at the talks, led by Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak. The delegation includes Umerov, Defense Intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Lt. Gen. Andriy Hnatov, Foreign Intelligence Service head Oleh Ivashchenko, First Deputy Foreign Minister Serhiy Kyslytsya, NSDC First Deputy Secretary Yevhen Ostrianskyi, SBU Deputy Chairman Oleksandr Poklad, and Presidential Office adviser Oleksandr Bevz.

“Teams are meeting today in Switzerland to work on concrete steps toward ending the war,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Nov. 23. “It is good that diplomacy is active and that the discussion can be constructive. Ukrainian and American teams, as well as teams from our European partners, remain in close contact — and I am hopeful we will see results.”

Zelenskyy later reported receiving initial summaries from the first meetings, saying there is now “an understanding that U.S. proposals can incorporate several elements rooted in Ukraine’s own vision and critical to our national interests.”

What is known about the U.S. peace plan

On Nov. 20, Zelenskyy received the American draft proposal on ending Russia’s war against Ukraine. The Presidential Office said the Ukrainian leader plans to discuss the plan with U.S. President Donald Trump in the coming days.

Reuters reported that Washington has signaled to Kyiv that it expects Ukraine to accept a U.S.-designed framework to halt the war.

According to the version published by Axios, the plan would require Ukraine to recognize Crimea, Luhansk, and Donetsk as de facto Russian territory and freeze military operations in Kherson and Zaporizhzhya along the current front line. Ukraine’s Armed Forces would be capped at 600,000 personnel, and the country would be required to enshrine a nonaligned status in its Constitution, ruling out NATO membership.

Ukraine would remain a non-nuclear state, while the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant would be jointly administered with Russia under IAEA oversight. The plan also envisions nationwide elections within 100 days of signing the agreement.

Trump said on Nov. 21 that he wants Zelenskyy to accept the plan by Thanksgiving (Thursday, Nov. 27).

European governments have rejected the proposal, describing it as a de facto capitulation for Ukraine.

Zelenskyy said the country is facing “one of the most difficult moments in its history.” He noted that Kyiv is under intense pressure and risks losing a key partner, adding that Ukraine will propose alternatives to ensure its national interests are reflected in any final document.