Senior officials from the U.S., Ukraine, France, Germany, and the U.K. are set to meet Saturday in Paris to discuss President Trump’s proposed peace plan, aiming to reach a consensus amid rising transatlantic tensions.
The Trump administration has been pressing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to quickly accept a 20-point plan that would require significant territorial concessions. European leaders, by contrast, have urged patience, attempting to reassure Kyiv while frustrating some U.S. officials. The Paris meeting follows a recent call between Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Merz described the discussion as constructive, noting that the leaders emphasized that only Ukraine can decide the fate of its territory. Trump, however, said the conversation involved “pretty strong words” regarding Ukraine.
National security advisers will represent Ukraine, Germany, France, and the U.K. at the Paris meeting, though it remains unclear whether U.S. Secretary of State and Trump national security adviser Marco Rubio will attend. Earlier talks with Ukraine were led by Rubio, but more recent negotiations have been handled by Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner. Zelensky and European officials are seeking a joint call with Trump, but it has not yet been scheduled.
On Wednesday, Ukraine submitted a detailed response to the latest draft of Trump’s plan, including proposals to resolve contentious issues such as territorial disputes and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Russia, meanwhile, has signaled it wants a peace plan that includes security guarantees for all sides and continues to reject NATO membership for Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow has already submitted proposals for collective security guarantees and claimed recent meetings with Witkoff and Kushner addressed prior misunderstandings. Ukrainian and European officials remain skeptical of Russia’s intentions, though Trump has expressed confidence that Russian President Vladimir Putin is serious about negotiations.