Rubio says tremendous progress made in Ukraine peace talks

Discussions on ending the war in Ukraine have entered a productive phase, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday, claiming “tremendous progress” has been made.

After a round of talks with a Ukrainian delegation in Geneva, Switzerland, Rubio told reporters that negotiators had “a very good day today.”

“We had a great day today. I think we’ve made tremendous progress even since the last time we talked to you,” Rubio said.

“We started with a basic document that we socialized almost three weeks ago and carried out with input from both parties,” he said.

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Rubio described how negotiators developed a 28-point peace framework that sets potential conditions for a ceasefire and long-term solution for Ukraine and Russia.

“Over the last 96 hours or more, to further narrow down these points, there has been extensive contact with the Ukrainian side, including our Minister of the Army and others, we have been on the ground in Kiev, there have been meetings with relevant stakeholders across the Ukrainian political spectrum in the legislative and executive branches, the military and others.”

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attends a briefing at the Presidential Office following a staff meeting on November 7, 2025 in Kiev, Ukraine. (Pavlo Bahmut/Ukrinform/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

“We came here today with one goal: to get 28 points or 26 points, depending on which version, while continuing to improve and trying to narrow down the gaps. And today we achieved that in a very important way,” he said.

Weekend talks focused on a 28-point plan prepared by the United States, a framework outlining steps towards a possible ceasefire and political solution.

The document is said to cover security guarantees, territorial control, reconstruction mechanisms and Ukraine’s long-term relations with NATO and the EU.

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The plan was reportedly developed through several iterations, narrowing down disagreements point by point as both sides weighed concessions.

“Now, like any final agreement, this will have to be agreed upon by the presidents, and there are a few things we need to continue to work on,” Rubio explained.

Rubio called the moment “delicate” while declining to specify unresolved issues.

“This is a very delicate moment and an important one; as I said, there is no agreement on them yet. Some are related to semantics or language; others require higher-level decisions and consultation; others I think need more time to work on,” he said, before touching on some issues.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine in 2022. (Ramil Sitdikov/Pool/Reuters)

“There were those related to equalities or the role of the EU or NATO, and we have just separated those out because we have met with the national security advisors of various European countries and we will have to discuss them with them because they include them.”

“I don’t want to declare victory or certainty here. There is still some work to be done,” he added.

Rubio asserted his intention to ensure Ukraine’s security, saying “they all recognize that a final end to this war requires Ukraine to feel safe and never be invaded or attacked again.”

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“I really believe we’re going to get there,” he said. When asked about next steps, Rubio said there could be a possible meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, adding: “I don’t know. It’s possible. I’m not sure.”

“The deadline is, we want to get this done as quickly as possible. Frankly, we’d love for it to be Thursday,” he added.