United States President Donald Trump on Sunday sharply criticised Ukraine’s leadership, accusing officials in Kyiv of showing “zero gratitude” for Washington’s efforts to end the conflict with Russia. The remarks came just as negotiators from the US, Ukraine and Europe convened in Geneva to continue deliberations on a divisive American peace proposal.
Trump’s comments, posted on his Truth Social platform, followed shortly after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signalled a cautious willingness to consider aspects of the 28-point plan. Zelensky said some provisions could potentially accommodate “critical” Ukrainian interests, marking a subtle shift in tone from Kyiv, where many view the proposal as tilted heavily in Moscow’s favour.
Delegations have been meeting in Switzerland since Saturday, discussing the framework behind closed doors. The plan, which has stirred unease in Ukraine’s political circles, remains at the centre of ongoing diplomatic manoeuvring.
In his post, written largely in capital letters, Trump declared: “UKRAINE ‘LEADERSHIP’ HAS EXPRESSED ZERO GRATITUDE FOR OUR EFFORTS, AND EUROPE CONTINUES TO BUY OIL FROM RUSSIA.” He went on to say that he had “inherited a war that should have never happened,” describing it as “a loser for everyone” and lamenting the millions of lives lost.
Trump has set a Thursday deadline — coinciding with Thanksgiving in the United States — for Ukraine to accept the plan, although he has suggested the timeframe may be extended if negotiations show progress.
Minutes before Trump’s message appeared, Zelensky reported that discussions in Geneva had reached a stage where the American proposal might now integrate “a number of elements based on the Ukrainian vision.” He stressed that Kyiv’s focus remained on ensuring the final document would be capable of “putting an end to the bloodshed and war.”
Ukrainian, American and European representatives are continuing technical and political meetings in Geneva aimed at identifying practical compromises, Zelensky noted.
Speaking separately at the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed doubts that an agreement could be reached before Trump’s deadline. “I am sceptical a deal can be reached by Thursday,” he said. “That doesn’t mean it’s impossible, but we are very far from that.” Merz added that any workable document must be one Ukraine can endorse before it becomes the basis for further talks with Russia.
A senior US official told the BBC that “a lot of momentum” had built around the Geneva negotiations, adding that both Washington and Kyiv remained cautiously optimistic. Sunday’s rounds focused on resolving the most contentious aspects of the proposal, the official said.
High-level discussions are expected to continue, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump’s diplomatic envoy, Steve Witkoff, set to meet negotiators before work transitions to smaller, issue-specific groups. “With each step they are getting closer,” the official noted, while acknowledging that significant challenges remain.
