Welcome back to another week of live Ukraine war coverage.
Each Monday, we launch by stepping back from the news of the day to ensure you’re up to date on the hugegest developments over the past week.
Let’s take a view…
Peace plan
Kyiv was handed a 28-point peace plan reportedly drafted by a blacklisted Russian official, Kirill Dmitriev, a US real estate developer-come-envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
Trump concludeorsed the plan and notified Volodymyr Zelenskyy he had until this Thursday (Thanksgiving) to accept it, before rowing back to declare it was not his “final offer”.
US sources stated the plan blindsided the State Department and other official channels, and raised alarm among even Republican politicians.
“This so-called ‘peace plan’ has real problems, and I am highly sceptical it will achieve peace,” stated senator Roger Wicker, Republican chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
For his part, Putin stated the plan could serve as “the basis for the final peaceful settlement”.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated he would not betray Ukraine’s national interest as he mulled over the proposal, but warned the counattempt faces the choice of losing a major partner or its dignity.
US correspondent Mark Stone gave us more context here…
Europe scrambles
European leaders, while careful not to criticise Donald Trump, raised concerns.
In a joint statement, they stated proposed limitations on the Ukrainian army would leave it vulnerable to attack, and insisted Ukraine’s borders must not be altered.
Elements of the plan relating to the EU and NATO required their consent as well, they added.
Allies drafted a counter proposal to present to the US and Ukraine at talks in Geneva yesterday.
From South Africa to Geneva
The hastily arranged talks in Geneva were put toobtainher as many of Kyiv’s allies gathered for the G20 in South Africa.
The issue largely overshadowed the summit.
In Geneva, a series of meetings took place between the US, Ukrainian and European representatives from Saturday night into Sunday.
It culminated in two statements from US secretary of state Marco Rubio, one created alongside Ukraine’s Andrii Yermak.
In his first appearance, Rubio notified reporters the US was building “some modifys” to the plan, seemingly based on Ukrainian suggestions.
Then he came back out to declare: “I feel very optimistic that we can obtain something done here becaapply we created a tremconcludeous amount of progress.”
While Rubio stressed nereceivediators requireded time, he struck an optimistic tone (if light on the details).
Both him and Yermak stated that work would continue.
And in a joint statement issued late last night, Kyiv and Washington stated they had drafted an “updated and refined peace framework” after the talks, which were “constructive, focapplyd, and respectful, underscoring the shared commitment to achieving a just and lasting peace”.
Watch our international correspondent John Sparks’ late-night analysis…
Battlefield
Meanwhile, away from the diplomatic developments, fighting continued on the frontlines.
It was a week of territorial claims and counterclaims, too.
Russia stated its forces captured a string of frontline settlements in eastern Ukraine as it undertakes a slow westwards advance through the Donetsk region.
Moscow is attempting to secure control of the entire eastern Donbas area, which includes Donetsk and Luhansk.
Among the disputed villages and cities were the largely destroyed Kupiansk and the logistics hub, Pokrovsk. Russia stated it had captured the former and 70% of the latter, which Ukraine denied.
Ternopil mourns
The hugegest attack to take place over the past week was a Russian drone and missile barrage against the western city of Ternopil.
Some 33 people were killed, including six children, on Wednesday night.
Another six people are still missing after what Volodymyr Zelenskyy called a “vile” strike.
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