Trump Says Ukraine Showed 'Zero Gratitude' as U.S. Presses 28-Point Peace Plan in Geneva

President Donald Trump injected fresh tension into sensitive Ukraine peace negotiations by accusing Kyiv of showing "zero gratitude" for U.S. assistance, comments that landed as American envoys met with Ukrainian officials in Geneva to advance a proposed 28-point framework.

Senior U.S. officials — including Sen. Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff — convened with Ukrainian representatives over the weekend, pressing for progress on a draft framework U.S. officials hope can form the basis for negotiations aimed at ending the war. U.S. negotiators said they were working toward a timeline that could include a decision by Thanksgiving.

Progress reported, tensions remain

After a full day of meetings, Sen. Rubio described the talks as productive. "A tremendous amount of progress" had been made, he said, while acknowledging there was "still some work to be done" and that the parties were further along than they had been earlier in the week.

U.S. officials said the discussions were positive and constructive, and that the parties drafted an updated and refined peace framework. A White House statement said both sides agreed the consultations were "highly productive," showed meaningful progress toward aligning positions and identified clear next steps. The statement reaffirmed that any future agreement must fully uphold Ukraine's sovereignty and deliver a sustainable, just peace.

Responses from Kyiv and lawmakers

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the United States and its partners in a Telegram post, writing that aid — "starting with the Javelins" — is saving Ukrainian lives and thanking allies in Europe, the G7 and the G20 for their support.

"Ukraine is grateful to the United States, to every American heart, and personally to President Trump for the help that ... is saving the lives of Ukrainians," Zelenskyy wrote.

Still, the proposal has drawn criticism. Several European leaders and U.S. lawmakers have warned that some elements could advantage Russia. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said the plan contains "many good ideas" but also "several areas that are very problematic" and urged revisions to ensure the deal ends the war honorably and does not create new conflict. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) expressed similar skepticism that the current proposal will achieve lasting peace.

Trump told reporters the draft is "not my final offer" and added that if Zelenskyy rejected it, "then he can continue to fight his little heart out." In a later video, Zelenskyy said the pressure on Ukraine is intense and framed the choice as painful: accept difficult terms or risk losing partners and face a harsh winter.

Origin of the plan and next steps

Questions about the plan's origin surfaced among U.S. lawmakers. Some asked whether the draft came from Russia, the U.S., or another intermediary. One senator said the document had been presented to Mr. Witkoff and described it as "not our proposal" but an opportunity for the U.S. to act as an intermediary. Sen. Rubio later posted that the proposal was authored by the U.S. as a framework for negotiations and that it had incorporated input from multiple sides, including previous input from Ukraine and contributions from the Russian side.

Olha Stefanishyna, Ukraine's ambassador to the United States, urged caution and described the 28 points as a starting point: "This is only the first proposal — a wish list, not an agreement. It is a list of points being discussed now and a beginning for constructive negotiations between Ukraine and the United States."

The talks in Geneva produced an updated framework and identified next steps, but major questions remain about specifics, authorship and whether the proposal can attract the broad international support Ukraine’s leaders and European allies say is necessary to secure a durable peace.