Russian invasion Negotiations

Ukraine prepares for Trump meeting in November

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to travel to the United States and meet with President Trump before the end of the month, National Security Adviser Rustem Umerov said on Tuesday, according to the Kyiv Independent.

“We look forward to organizing a visit by the President of Ukraine to the United States as soon as possible in November to complete the final steps and conclude an agreement with President Trump,” Umerov wrote on Facebook.

The statement comes after negotiations in Switzerland, where the original 28-point plan for peace in Ukraine has been reworked and, according to information provided to the FT, reduced to 19 points.

Zelensky announced today, after a conversation with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, that he sees “many opportunities for peace,” CNN reports.

Finland hopes for ceasefire this week

Finland will propose a ceasefire in the Ukraine war in international discussions by Thursday at the latest, according to Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen. Helsingin Sanomat reports.

If Russia does not agree to a complete ceasefire, a more limited version may become relevant, for example targeting attacks on energy infrastructure.

Valtonen emphasizes that real peace negotiations can only take place when the fighting has stopped, and that the talks should be based on the current contact line without prior promises of territorial concessions.

She also says that Finland will not recognize areas that Russia has taken by force, according to Yle.

On Tuesday, around 30 allies of Ukraine that are part of the "coalition of the willing", including Sweden, will hold a meeting via link.

- This is about the security of our entire continent, today and in the future, said EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen yesterday.

Analysis: US hopes to reach a compromise

The negotiations on a peace agreement in Ukraine in Switzerland are described by both the US and Ukraine as productive. Several European leaders are also positive about the revised 28-point plan, which has reportedly been slimmed down to 19 points.

Despite the Geneva talks having ended, reports emerged on Monday of new secret talks in the United Arab Emirates. In an analysis, Sky News' Ivor Bennet says that it is clear that the US is seeking a solution to the war.

- They believe that there is some kind of compromise that can be reached and implemented, possibly within a few days. That is Donald Trump's hope, he says.

The New York Times' Michael Shear writes in an analysis that Europe, despite being outside the initial negotiations, has still managed to influence the process and make Trump's proposal more acceptable to both Ukraine and Europe. He believes this is a result of European leaders learning to deal with Trump over time.

Whether it will work, however, is unclear. Shear refers to analysts who assess that it is unlikely that Russia would accept an agreement that Europe can accept.