Trump Team “Hearing Us”, Says Zelenskyy as Talks Advance
Peskov: No Updates from Geneva, No Talks This Week
Kyiv Intensifies Global Outreach
Geneva/Kyiv/Moscow: Intensive negotiations between the United States and Ukraine have produced what senior officials described as the most significant progress to date towards a bilateral framework that could pave the way for ending the nearly three-year war with Russia, although a small number of unresolved issues, the necessity of Russian acceptance, and Moscow’s public silence on the weekend’s developments continue to temper expectations of an immediate final agreement. The marathon sessions held on Sunday, November 23, 2025, at the U.S. Mission in Geneva revolved around refining a living draft document that began with 26-28 points three weeks ago and has since been repeatedly revised through direct consultations with Kyiv and insights into Moscow’s known positions.
American and Ukrainian teams worked through the day on narrowing remaining differences, with officials emerging twice to brief journalists. In the afternoon joint appearance alongside Ukrainian Presidential Office Head Andriy Yermak, the U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters, “It is in my personal view that we’ve had probably the most productive and meaningful meetings so far in this entire process since we’ve been involved, from the beginning.” He added that teams were “working through making some changes, some adjustments, in the hopes of further narrowing the differences and getting closer to something that both Ukraine and, obviously, the United States are very comfortable with.” Yermak, standing beside him, affirmed, “We have very productive first session with the distinguished American delegation. We have very good progress, and we are moving forward to a just and lasting peace. Ukrainian people deserve and want this peace more than anyone on this planet,” before thanking “our big friends, the United States and President Trump and his team, for their commitment to bring this peace.”
Hours later, as the Geneva talks stretched into the night, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the nation from Kyiv. He confirmed the intensity of the diplomacy, stating, “The Ukrainian delegation in Geneva has already held a series of meetings with the American side and with our European partners as well. The delegation has just reported on the results of their discussions, and these were substantive conversations.” Highlighting the direct channel with Washington, he added, “It is important that there is dialogue with the American representatives, and there are signals President Trump’s team is hearing us.” Zelenskyy stressed national cohesion, warning that “having a Ukrainian passport means feeling responsibility for Ukraine” and cautioning against any “contradictory signals – non-Ukrainian signals” that could undermine the official position. He reiterated Ukraine’s unchanging priority: “The first priority is a reliable peace, guaranteed security, respect for our people, respect for everyone who gave their life defending Ukraine against Russian aggression.”
By late evening, after several more hours of talks, the Secretary returned alone and declared, “We had a very good day today. I think we made a tremendous amount of progress, even from the last time I spoke to you.” Describing the day’s outcome, he said, “I think today was worthwhile, was very, very – it was probably the most productive day we have had on this issue, maybe in the entirety of our engagement, but certainly in a very long time.” He emphasised that the remaining points were “none of it insurmountable” and added, “I honestly believe we’ll get there.”
Press questions during both briefings repeatedly sought specifics on territorial concessions, security guarantees comparable to NATO’s Article 5, the role of European counter-proposals, potential fighter-jet transfers from Poland, and whether Ukraine had shown willingness to compromise on core red lines. Officials consistently declined to elaborate, citing the delicate stage of negotiations. When asked directly whether Ukraine was prepared to compromise on territory in exchange for peace, the Secretary responded, “I’m not going to get into the details of the topics that were discussed because this is an ongoing process… just because it’s printed on a piece of paper doesn’t indicate finality.” On the critical issue of security, he acknowledged, “Clearly, I think we all recognise that part of getting a final end to this war will require of Ukraine to feel as if it is safe and it is never going to be invaded or attacked again. So, that’s clearly something that has to be discussed.”
European and NATO-related provisions have been placed on a separate track following consultations earlier in the day with national security advisors from several European countries. “There were some that involved equities or the role of the EU or of NATO or so forth, and those we kind of segregated out because we just met with the national security advisors for various European countries,” the Secretary explained.
Today, on Monday, November 24, 2025, President Zelenskyy continued an intensive round of international diplomacy, holding separate telephone conversations with President of Finland Alexander Stubb, President of the European Council António Costa, and President of Lithuania Gitanas Nausėda. He briefed them on the Geneva outcomes, the positions of the parties, the progress achieved, and Ukraine’s key priorities, stressing that “every step our country takes together with its partners is carefully considered, and that all decisions are doable and capable of ensuring lasting peace and guaranteed security.” The leaders reaffirmed Europe’s support for Ukraine’s stance.
Speaking virtually to the Parliamentary Summit of the International Crimea Platform in Sweden — attended by nearly 70 foreign delegations — Zelenskyy underscored the broader principles at stake. “Putin wants legal recognition for what he has stolen – to break the principle of territorial integrity and sovereignty – and that’s the main problem,” he told parliamentarians. “You all understand what that means. He wants it not only from Ukraine – he wants it from the whole world, and it’s very dangerous.” He highlighted that even in the sensitive negotiations with the United States, Kyiv had succeeded in keeping critical humanitarian issues on the table, including the full “all-for-all” prisoner exchange, the release of civilians, and the complete return of abducted Ukrainian children. Zelenskyy urged continued global pressure on Russia, declaring, “It is crucial to support the principles on which Europe stands: borders cannot be changed by force, war criminals must not evade justice, and the aggressor must fully pay for the war he started.”
Meanwhile, in Moscow, the Kremlin maintained a studied reserve. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday that Russia had received no official communication about the Geneva outcomes and was relying solely on media coverage for information. “We have, of course, been closely monitoring media reports… But we haven’t received anything official yet,” Peskov said, confirming that no Russian-American meetings on Ukraine are scheduled this week. Russian representatives have not participated in the Geneva meetings, but the Secretary reminded journalists, “Obviously the Russians get a vote here… no matter what we came up with today, obviously we now have to take what we come up with, if we can reach that agreement with the Ukrainian side, to the Russian side.”
The original aspirational deadline of Thursday remains a preferred target, though flexibility was signalled. “We’d love it to be Thursday,” he said, adding, “Whether it’s Thursday, whether it’s Friday, whether it’s Wednesday, whether it’s Monday of the following week, we want it to be soon because people are going to be – between today and the time we deal with this, more people are going to die. More destruction is going to happen.” Technical teams continued working into the night, with the Secretary noting, “Even as we got up and broke up now and walked away from the table, there are a handful of technical items that we expect answers from them on or suggestions from them on in the next 24 hours or so.”
The rapid pace of the past 96 hours, including high-level visits to Kyiv and the dispatch of a senior Ukrainian delegation empowered to consult President Zelenskyy directly, has markedly accelerated a process that began gathering steam shortly after the current U.S. administration took office in January. While presidential sign-off from both Washington and Kyiv, followed by Russian concurrence, remains the final hurdle, Sunday’s exchanges — greeted with guarded optimism in Geneva and Kyiv, reinforced by Europe-wide diplomatic backing, yet met with official silence in Moscow — have markedly raised prospects for a framework that could halt the bloodshed and reshape the European security landscape.
– global bihari bureau
