Ukraine-Russia war latest: Kyiv supports ‘essence’ of peace agreement but Zelensky and Trump to discuss ‘sensitive points’

Zelensky has indicated Ukraine is ready to move forward with a US-backed peace deal, according to documents seen by the news agency Reuters.

In a speech to the so-called coalition of the willing, Zelensky urged European leaders to hash out a framework for deploying a “reassurance force” to Ukraine and to continue supporting Kyiv for as long as Moscow shows no willingness to end its war.

Seven people were killed and 21 injured by overnight Russian strikes in Kyiv, according to Ukraine’s state emergency service.

“In Kyiv, emergency rescue operations have been completed following the Russian shelling: 7 people were killed, and another 21 people were injured, including 1 child.,” it said in a post on X.

“Emergency responders saved 18 people, including 3 children. Psychologists from the State Emergency Service of Ukraine provided assistance to 64 people.”

The revised US peace plan could reportedly see Ukraine’s army capped at 800,000 soldiers.

First reported by the Financial Times, who cite unnamed Ukrainian officials, the plan would see Ukraine remain the second-largest force in Europe after Russia.

It comes after the original peace plan proposed by the US capped Ukrainian soldiers at 600,000 – something Zelensky refused to agree to.

Ukraine has not publicly confirmed agreeing to restricting its military size, and no agreement has been reached at this time.

Ukraine has not yet fully agreed to a peace proposal from the US, Downing Street suggested, amid suggestions from the Americans that Kyiv had done so.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesperson told reporters: “I’ve seen those reports, but our position hasn’t changed.

“We welcome the progress made, but there are still several points to work through.

“We are all resolute in our focus on securing Ukraine a just and lasting peace.”

He also pointed to Sir Keir Starmer’s statement to the House of Commons on Tuesday, in which he said there is still a “tough road ahead” to reach peace.

Sir Keir Starmer said talks on a potential ceasefire in Ukraine were “moving in a positive direction” as he spoke to leaders of the “coalition of the willing”.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Prime Minister said: “I do think we are moving in a positive direction and indications today that in large part the majority of the text, Volodymyr is indicating, can be accepted.”

The 28-point plan, drawn up following talks between Washington and Moscow, offers a guarantee of US protection for Ukraine.

In return for Kyiv must give up on its Nato ambitions and European allies agree to not station troops in Ukraine, rebuffing British-led plans to deploy international peacekeepers.

Among the key sticking points between Russia and Ukraine are the territorial rights each country believes it has.

Russia seeks to claim territory according to a predetermined assessment of their rights, while Ukraine hopes to freeze Russia’s expansion at the current frontlines.

The White House has provided an update on peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, amid reports that Ukraine has accepted the “essence” of a proposed peace deal.

Delicate but not insurmountable details remain that “must be sorted out”, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. These differences will require “further talks” between Ukraine, Russia and the US.

“Over the past week, the United States has made tremendous progress towards a peace deal by bringing both Ukraine and Russia to the table,” Leavitt wrote in a statement on X/Twitter.

“There are a few delicate, but not insurmountable, details that must be sorted out and will require further talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the US.”

German chancellor Friedrich Merz and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky discussed the status of negotiations over a US-backed peace deal following talks in Geneva over the weekend, a German government spokesperson said on Tuesday.

The 28-point plan was criticised for being pro-Russian, prompting a counter-proposal from Europe.

A Ukrainian official deeply involved with ceasefire negotiations said that the United States appears to have agreed to a document set out by Europe’s allies in Geneva over the weekend – not a US plan.

The official in president Volodymyr Zekensky’s office said that if the deal was “the framework from Geneva, we’re okay. It’s not a bad framework to work further”.

US media organisations said they had been briefed by US officials after a meeting in Abu Dhabi between Ukraine’s head of military intelligence major general Kyrylo Budanov and Dan Driscoll, US army secretary.

“Following the meetings In Geneva, we see many prospects that can make the path to peace real. There are solid results, and much work still lies ahead,” Zelensky wrote on X.

The Geneva plan gives a written “article 5”-style US guarantee of Ukraine sovereignty.

If the White House has accepted this it would be a significant U-Turn by Donald Trump who has consistently ruled out offering American forces to guarantee Ukraine’s future security. It gives Nato protection to Ukraine without it actually joining the alliance.

The Geneva plan would freeze Russian control of captured Ukrainian territory along the current front lines, restricts Ukraine’s peacetime forces to 800,000, forbids Nato troops from being stationed there in peacetime and demands both sides sign a non-aggression pact.

It also allows for progressive sanctions to be lifted for Russia and for Moscow to rejoin the G8 economic group of nations.

Zelensky has said that some of the sensitive parts of this plan would need to be left for discussion with president Trump.

But Russia has already outright rejected the scheme. If an agreement has been made between Kyiv and Washington this would be the first time this year that the Trump administration has fallen in with the demands that Ukraine and its European allies say are the bare minimum for their future security.