Kyiv is sending a delegation led by Andriy Yermak to explore the parameters of a potential deal with Russia, as the Trump administration pushes for a resolution by Thanksgiving.
KYIV — Ukraine and the United States are preparing to launch a round of high-level consultations in Switzerland to discuss the framework of a “future peace agreement” aimed at ending the war with Russia.
The upcoming talks were confirmed by Rustem Umerov, Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, who stated that the meetings would take place “in the coming days.”
The move signals a significant shift in diplomatic activity following the delivery of a controversial U.S. peace proposal to Kyiv earlier this week.
According to Umerov, the Ukrainian delegation will be led by Andriy Yermak, the powerful head of the Presidential Office. President Volodymyr Zelensky has already signed a decree establishing the composition of the team and approving their negotiation instructions, emphasizing that they are tasked with defending “the legitimate interests of the Ukrainian people and the foundations of European security.”
The consultations in Switzerland come at a moment of intense pressure for the Ukrainian government. President Donald Trump has reportedly set a deadline of next Thursday, November 27—Thanksgiving Day—for Kyiv to respond to a 28-point peace plan drafted by his administration.
The U.S. proposal, crafted by envoys including Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, outlines terms that would freeze the conflict along current front lines. It reportedly calls for Ukraine to cede significant territory in the Donbas region to Russia, recognize Crimea as Russian de facto, and limit the size of its armed forces to 600,000 personnel. In return, Washington and European allies would provide security guarantees similar to those of NATO, though without formal membership or the deployment of allied troops on Ukrainian soil.
Zelensky has described the situation as a “crucial decision” between losing national dignity or losing a key ally. While Kyiv has expressed reservations about crossing its “red lines” on sovereignty, the dispatching of a top-level delegation to Switzerland indicates a willingness to engage with the Trump administration’s initiative.
The diplomatic push is also overshadowing the G20 summit currently underway in South Africa, where European leaders have been discussing the implications of the U.S. plan for the continent’s security architecture.
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