Geneva: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Sunday that substantial progress has been made in the American-Ukrainian peace talks, describing them as the most significant discussions conducted in recent months.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Rubio, speaking at a press conference held at the US mission in Geneva, highlighted that both parties have significantly narrowed their disagreements, although some issues still require further negotiation. He expressed optimism, stating that an agreement announcement is "very close."
Rubio characterized the talks as the most productive since the negotiation track began 10 months ago, emphasizing the ongoing nature of the discussions. He mentioned that over the past ninety-six hours, there had been intensive engagement with Ukrainian officials, including the presence of the US Secretary of the Army and other officials on the ground in Kyiv meeting with various stakeholders from different segments of Ukrainian governance.
The delegations discussed 28 items of the peace plan, which has evolved into a dynamic working document that changes daily based on agreements reached. Some items related to the European Union or NATO were set aside for future discussions with European counterparts.
Rubio noted that Russia is "part of the equation" and must agree to the plan, expressing hope that an agreement could be reached within a reasonable timeframe. He stressed the urgency of reaching an agreement to prevent further loss of life and destruction, while acknowledging the need for more time to finalize the negotiations.