UPDATE'S WITH UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT'S REMARKS; ADDS DECKS
By Beyza Binnur Donmez
GENEVA (AA) - Senior US and Ukrainian officials are holding discussions in Geneva on Sunday on a new proposal aimed at advancing peace efforts in Ukraine.
The exchanges involve a US delegation led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff. The Ukrainian side is being led by the head of the presidential administration Andriy Yermak. US Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll is understood to be in Geneva as part of the delegation.
"Our intention is to secure the strongest possible outcome for the Ukrainians," a US official told Swiss news agency Keystone-ATS, stressing that the discussions remain exploratory in nature.
Regarding the meetings, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the teams are currently working "on the steps to end the war" in Switzerland.
In a post on US social media platform X, he said: "It is good that diplomacy has been reinvigorated and that the conversation can be constructive. The Ukrainian and American teams, as well as the teams of our European partners, are in close contact, and I do hope that there will be a result."
Zelenskyy urged that "the bloodshed" must be stopped, and called for assurance that "the war is never reignited."
"I am awaiting the results of today's talks and hope that all participants will be constructive," he said. "We all need a positive outcome."
Meanwhile, Yermak, in a post on X, confirmed that the Ukrainian delegation has begun its work in Geneva by firstly meeting with "the national security advisors of the leaders of the United Kingdom, France, and Germany: Jonathan Powell, Emmanuel Bonne, and Günther Sauter."
Noting that the next meeting will be with the US delegation, he said: "We are in a very constructive mood."
"Overall, a series of meetings in various formats is planned for today. We continue working together to achieve a lasting and just peace for Ukraine," he added.
It was not immediately clear whether the EU will be part of the US-Ukraine meeting. The talks are expected to remain closed to the media.
A separate channel of conversation with Russian representatives is anticipated at a later stage.