Zelenskyy says US peace plan looks better with changes despite territorial hurdles

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy struck an upbeat note on Monday, indicating that the long-debated Trump administration peace plan might finally be moving in Kyiv's direction.

"It looks better," Zelenskyy said, after talks in Paris aimed to amend a proposal that could determine how Europe's largest war since World War II comes to an end, according to the Associated Press.

Zelenskyy briefed reporters after meeting French President Emmanuel Macron, the latest in a flurry of diplomacy as Kyiv, Washington and European partners try to refine a peace framework initially drafted between the US and Russia.

"The work will continue," Zelenskyy said, calling territorial questions the most complicated part of the discussions.

PUTIN TO MEET US ENVOY

Zelenskyy's comments came as the Kremlin confirmed President Vladimir Putin will meet on Tuesday with US envoy Steve Witkoff -- a figure whose role drew scrutiny last week after reports he coached a senior Putin adviser on how to pitch the peace plan to US President Donald Trump.

Zelenskyy's Paris visit followed Sunday's meeting between Ukrainian and US officials, which Secretary of State Marco Rubio described as productive. Washington and Kyiv have been working to revise the US-authored plan, criticized for leaning too heavily toward Russian demands, including limits on Ukraine's military and concessions on Nato membership.

Meanwhile, Russia sought to shape expectations ahead of the talks. The Kremlin claimed its forces captured the eastern city of Pokrovsk, which is a key node in Donetsk's defensive fortress belt.

The Ukrainian President rejected the claim. He also dismissed Russia's earlier claims of capturing Kupiansk, saying Ukrainian troops cleared out nearly all Russian forces there.

Macron described the current negotiations as a preliminary phase, but said diplomacy had reached a moment that could be a turning point for Ukraine and Europe's security. He stressed that any final agreement must include European partners and backed rock-solid security guarantees for Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire.

Amid a fresh push for peace, fighting continued across Ukraine. Russian missile strikes on the city of Dnipro killed four people and injured dozens. Ukraine's Air Force reported Russia fired 89 drones overnight, with most intercepted. The Kremlin also accused Ukraine of striking Russian oil infrastructure, including a major terminal near Novorossiysk.

- Ends

With inputs from agenices

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