Peace Talks Over Ukraine: Hopes and Doubts Amid Ongoing Violence

REPORTER:  

It’s been a night of fresh destruction—and carnage—in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. A new Russian drone strike has killed four people and wounded 17. Right now, US, Ukrainian and European officials are trying to bring an end to almost four years of fighting between Russia and Ukraine. And people here hope something will come through to end their suffering.

We want peace  

and we want all this to end quickly  

so that we can live in peace  

and our children don't have to see this.

REPORTER:  

US President Donald Trump has given Kyiv until Thursday to accept his 28-point peace plan. This would see Ukraine cede land to Russia, cut its military and pledge never to join NATO. Trump says it’s not his final offer—but it’s the plan he wants to see go through.

REPORTER:  

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is upbeat about how peace talks in Geneva have gone so far.

Marco Rubio (US SECRETARY OF STATE):  

We arrived here today with one goal, and the goal was to take, you know, what, you know, it’s 28 points or 26 points, depending on which version as they continued to evolve and try to narrow the ones that were open items, and we have achieved that today in a very substantial way.

REPORTER:  

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has thanked the Trump administration after Trump called Ukraine ungrateful for his work. Zelenskyy says he feels Trump’s team is hearing Ukraine. And he says he expects more talks ahead to defend Ukraine’s interests.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy (PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE):  

The unity of Ukrainians  

in the defense of their national interests  

and of our independence and our sovereignty  

– this is what works.  

There are directives given to the Ukrainian delegation  

there is a direction our Ukrainian delegation follows  

and it would be very desirable we don’t have opposing signals  

non-Ukrainian signals coming from Ukraine.

REPORTER:  

Trump’s plan isn’t the only one out there, though. Several of Ukraine’s European allies want a higher cap on the size of Ukraine’s military, and crucially, no talk of ceding land.

Unnamed European Official ():  

First, borders cannot be changed by force; Second, as a sovereign nation, there cannot be limitations on Ukraine's armed forces that would leave the country vulnerable to future attack and thereby also undermining European security; Third, the centrality of the European Union in securing peace for Ukraine must be fully reflected.

REPORTER:  

Trump’s plan also has strong critics, who see it as too lenient on Russia. And this is especially the case inside Ukraine. In places like this graveyard in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha—the final resting place of many killed in an early Russian assault, Trump’s plan is a non-starter.

Bucha Resident ():  

Let Trump's sons come here.  

Let them feel our pain, let them see all this.  

And maybe then they will change their minds.  

War breeds hatred  

there is hatred in many Ukrainians [against Russia]  

it is eternal, it cannot be said at all.  

I will speak for myself.  

Yes, my son... my son's grave is there.

Bucha Resident ():  

If they sign these terms, it won't be very good.  

Because what did our men fight for  

just so that our land could be taken away?  

I don't like that option.  

If there were other terms  

if they left our territories, then yes, I would agree.  

But when they take away our territory  

where we have lived all our lives  

where our homes are, I don't agree.

REPORTER:  

So, even as talks proceed in far-off places like Geneva, in Ukraine, there is no pause to this war, as both sides exchange attacks—and the next drone strike could come at any moment.