Diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine took center stage this week, as senior officials from the United States, Russia, Ukraine, and European allies converged on multiple fronts to discuss a contentious peace proposal. Against a backdrop of deadly strikes and escalating drone warfare, negotiators pressed forward in search of a breakthrough—though the path to peace remains fraught with obstacles and skepticism.
On Monday, November 24, 2025, US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll led a high-level American delegation in Abu Dhabi for direct talks with Russian officials about a proposed plan to end the conflict. According to CNN, these meetings, which continued into Tuesday, were organized with the explicit approval of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The talks followed a weekend of intense US-Ukraine negotiations in Geneva, signaling a renewed American push for a diplomatic solution after nearly four years of fighting.
The centerpiece of these efforts is a 28-point peace plan, originally authored by the United States with input from both Russian and Ukrainian sides. The first draft, as reported by various outlets including Reuters and the Financial Times, contained significant concessions to Moscow: Ukraine would have to cede territory, renounce its NATO ambitions, and limit the size of its armed forces. The plan, quickly dubbed the "Trump plan" after the US president who spearheaded it, has drawn sharp criticism from Kyiv and its European allies, who argue it amounts to capitulation.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking after the Geneva talks, acknowledged that the latest version of the proposal had been revised. "The new proposal now contains fewer points and proper considerations have been taken into account in this framework," Zelenskyy said, as reported by CNN. He emphasized that sensitive issues would be discussed directly with President Trump in Washington later this week. Rustem Umerov, Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council secretary, told Germany's dpa news agency, "Our delegations reached a common understanding on the core terms of the agreement discussed in Geneva. We now count on the support of our European partners in our further steps."
Despite the diplomatic flurry, the war on the ground showed no signs of abating. Overnight on Tuesday, November 25, Russia unleashed a massive barrage of 22 missiles and 460 drones on Ukraine, according to President Zelenskyy. The attacks killed at least six people in Kyiv and wounded 13 more, causing extensive damage to residential buildings and crucial energy infrastructure. "The primary targets were the energy sector and everything that keeps normal life going," Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram. Fires broke out in multiple districts of the capital, and two people, including an 86-year-old woman, died in the Dniprovskyi district. Four more perished in Svyatoshynskyi, as confirmed by Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv's military administration.
Ukraine responded with its own drone offensive. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed to have intercepted 249 Ukrainian drones overnight, but not all were stopped. In Russia's Krasnodar border region, Governor Veniamin Kondratyev described the assault as "one of the Kyiv regime's most sustained and massive attacks," with six residents wounded and significant property damage. In the port city of Taganrog, Ukrainian strikes killed one person and injured three, according to Mayor Svetlana Kambulova. The commander of Ukraine’s military drone unit, Robert Brovdi, hailed the night as Kyiv’s "most productive" in November, citing "deep damage" inflicted on Russian targets.
The violence spilled beyond Ukraine and Russia. In Moldova, authorities evacuated an entire village after drone fragments landed on a home in the Cuhurestii de Jos region, adjacent to the Ukrainian border. Meanwhile, Romania scrambled fighter jets as drones entered its airspace, underscoring the regional risks of the conflict. Moldova’s Foreign Ministry announced it would summon the Russian ambassador over what it called a "serious violation" of its airspace, while Romanian Defense Minister Ionut Mosteanu confirmed that German and Romanian jets were deployed to monitor the incursion.
As the military situation intensified, international diplomacy accelerated. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer convened a "Coalition of the Willing" call on Tuesday, bringing together representatives from over 30 countries to coordinate support for Ukraine and discuss the evolving peace plan. Starmer stressed the importance of a "just and lasting peace," noting the conflict’s direct impact on Europe and the UK. French President Emmanuel Macron also weighed in, telling RTL radio that while the plan was "moving in the right direction," it required further improvement. Macron insisted that Russia remained the chief obstacle to peace, calling Moscow "Europe's principal threat." He highlighted the need for real security guarantees for Kyiv and floated the possibility of French, Turkish, and British troops providing reassurance.
On the Russian side, skepticism was evident. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow was waiting for an "interim" version of the peace plan, cautioning that Russia’s attitude would be "completely different" if the revised text did not reflect the spirit of earlier talks between Trump and Putin. The Kremlin had initially welcomed the original US proposal, but has since expressed reservations about changes made to accommodate Ukrainian and European demands.
The European Union, meanwhile, has been working to amend the US-authored plan to better reflect Ukraine’s territorial integrity and security needs. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul praised the US for its "unorthodox" but flexible approach, attributing the renewed possibility of negotiations to Washington’s efforts. On Sunday, Wadephul hosted a "Washington Format" meeting with foreign ministers from Finland, France, Italy, Poland, the UK, and Ukraine to discuss the state of play.
Despite the diplomatic activity, many in Kyiv remain wary. The US plan’s original terms—particularly the requirement for Ukraine to cede sovereign territory and renounce NATO membership—have been dismissed by Ukrainian officials as unacceptable. Critics, both in Ukraine and among its allies, have likened the proposal to a Kremlin wish list. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged on Sunday that more time would be needed to reach an agreement, suggesting the original Thanksgiving deadline set by Trump might be unrealistic.
Amid these high-stakes negotiations, the human toll of the war continues to mount. Russian strikes on Kyiv and Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian cities have left dozens dead or wounded in recent days, with civilian infrastructure and energy systems bearing the brunt. As the world watches, the fate of Ukraine—and the prospects for a lasting peace—hang in the balance, shaped by both the resolve of negotiators and the relentless realities of war.
With diplomats racing against time and violence showing no sign of respite, the coming days may prove decisive in determining whether hope for peace can finally take hold.
