Are we any closer to peace in Ukraine?
After a frantic, often confusing few days of diplomacy, Donald Trump seems to think so.
We're getting very close to a deal, he told reporters on Tuesday.
For his part, Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelensky, who had looked and sounded grim over the weekend, said there were now many prospects that can make the path to peace real.
There are significant results, he said, after reviewing the results of Sunday's key discussions in Geneva, and there is still much work to be done.
However, from the Russians, apart from some discontented mutterings about European involvement and unauthorized leaks, the response has been somewhat muted. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov stated that Moscow viewed some elements of the latest draft positively but noted that many require special discussions among experts.
The exact gulf that exists between Ukraine and Russia on vital issues, such as territory, NATO membership, and the reconstruction of Ukraine, complicates the situation. The proposal for a 28-point U.S. plan leaked last week sparked alarm and led to frantic diplomatic efforts from European leaders to mitigate damage.
As discussions progressed, a joint U.S.-Ukrainian statement described the talks as highly productive. However, it remains unclear how much influence Europe had during the recent negotiations. Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials indicated satisfaction in countering harsher proposals outlined in the original draft, which significantly deviated from Ukraine's stances.
Despite this optimism, many concerns remain, particularly regarding the security guarantees Ukraine will receive in any potential deal. As the international community closely monitors the situation, significant uncertainties linger, making it difficult to predict the next steps in this ongoing diplomatic saga. Amid the chaos, some analysts believe the Trump administration is genuinely prioritizing finding peace.
