Secretary of State Marco Rubio has insisted that a proposed plan to end the Ukraine war, which has been widely viewed as favourable to Russia, was authored by the US. It comes after a group of senators said they had been told by Rubio that the draft - which one described as a Russian wish list - did not reflect Washington's position.
Rubio later distanced himself from those claims, stating that the plan was authored by the US and based on input from both Russia and Ukraine. His intervention came as he flew to Geneva in Switzerland for talks with Ukrainian and European security officials on the plan, which US President Donald Trump has called for Kyiv to agree to swiftly.
Ukraine's allies in Europe have pushed back on major provisions in the draft, which has not been made public but details of which have been widely leaked. It includes Ukraine agreeing to withdraw troops from eastern areas that Russia has been unable to take by force and to limit the size of its armed forces.
On Saturday, Republican senator Mike Rounds stated that Rubio had informed a group of lawmakers that the draft plan was not US policy. He claimed that Rubio said it was presented to Steve Witkoff, who serves as Trump's overseas diplomatic envoy, by someone "representing Russia." Rounds asserted, It is not our recommendation. It is not our peace plan.
Shortly after, State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott refuted Rounds' account, asserting it was blatantly false. He noted that Rubio and the administration have consistently maintained that the plan was authored by the United States, incorporating input from both Russians and Ukrainians.
Rubio posted on social media, stating, The peace proposal was authored by the US. It is based on input from the Russian side. But it is also based on previous and ongoing input from Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Trump remarked that the plan does not represent a final offer for Ukraine, emphasizing that President Volodymyr Zelensky would need to approve it. When details of the 28-point plan emerged, Zelensky had warned that Ukraine faced one of its most challenging moments due to US pressure to accept it, while Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested it could form the "basis of an agreement.
Trump had initially given Ukraine until Thursday to approve the proposal, but indicated that the deadline could be extended if discussions progressed. Rubio and Witkoff will participate in the Geneva meeting alongside security officials from the UK, France, Germany, and Ukraine, as allies continue to express their disapproval of the plan. A recent joint statement by allied leaders indicated that the proposal would leave Ukraine vulnerable to attack if adopted.
French President Emmanuel Macron insisted that the plan must not be solely an American proposal, as security for all Europeans must be considered. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz commented that the situation remains far from yielding a satisfactory outcome.
This draft plan has significant implications, suggesting Ukraine would withdraw from parts of the eastern Donetsk region while ceding control of territories such as Luhansk and Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014. The plan also includes freezing borders along current battle lines, though specifics regarding security guarantees for Ukraine remain vague.
As the geopolitical landscape continues to evolve, Zelensky has appointed Andriy Yermak as the head of Ukraine's negotiation team for potential peace talks, underlining the importance of defending national interests against further Russian aggression.
Rubio later distanced himself from those claims, stating that the plan was authored by the US and based on input from both Russia and Ukraine. His intervention came as he flew to Geneva in Switzerland for talks with Ukrainian and European security officials on the plan, which US President Donald Trump has called for Kyiv to agree to swiftly.
Ukraine's allies in Europe have pushed back on major provisions in the draft, which has not been made public but details of which have been widely leaked. It includes Ukraine agreeing to withdraw troops from eastern areas that Russia has been unable to take by force and to limit the size of its armed forces.
On Saturday, Republican senator Mike Rounds stated that Rubio had informed a group of lawmakers that the draft plan was not US policy. He claimed that Rubio said it was presented to Steve Witkoff, who serves as Trump's overseas diplomatic envoy, by someone "representing Russia." Rounds asserted, It is not our recommendation. It is not our peace plan.
Shortly after, State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott refuted Rounds' account, asserting it was blatantly false. He noted that Rubio and the administration have consistently maintained that the plan was authored by the United States, incorporating input from both Russians and Ukrainians.
Rubio posted on social media, stating, The peace proposal was authored by the US. It is based on input from the Russian side. But it is also based on previous and ongoing input from Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Trump remarked that the plan does not represent a final offer for Ukraine, emphasizing that President Volodymyr Zelensky would need to approve it. When details of the 28-point plan emerged, Zelensky had warned that Ukraine faced one of its most challenging moments due to US pressure to accept it, while Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested it could form the "basis of an agreement.
Trump had initially given Ukraine until Thursday to approve the proposal, but indicated that the deadline could be extended if discussions progressed. Rubio and Witkoff will participate in the Geneva meeting alongside security officials from the UK, France, Germany, and Ukraine, as allies continue to express their disapproval of the plan. A recent joint statement by allied leaders indicated that the proposal would leave Ukraine vulnerable to attack if adopted.
French President Emmanuel Macron insisted that the plan must not be solely an American proposal, as security for all Europeans must be considered. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz commented that the situation remains far from yielding a satisfactory outcome.
This draft plan has significant implications, suggesting Ukraine would withdraw from parts of the eastern Donetsk region while ceding control of territories such as Luhansk and Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014. The plan also includes freezing borders along current battle lines, though specifics regarding security guarantees for Ukraine remain vague.
As the geopolitical landscape continues to evolve, Zelensky has appointed Andriy Yermak as the head of Ukraine's negotiation team for potential peace talks, underlining the importance of defending national interests against further Russian aggression.
