German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is not convinced that a solution acceptable to Ukraine, based on the 28-point plan of the United States, will be found by the deadline set by US President Donald Trump, Reuters reports.
"Today is Sunday. President Trump's plan is to reach an agreement on Thursday. We are still a long way off. That doesn't mean it's completely impossible to achieve... But I'm skeptical that such an outcome is possible given the current differences," he said on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Johannesburg.
Ukrainian, American and European officials gathered in Geneva today to discuss a draft U.S. plan to end the war in Ukraine.
On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump said Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky had until Thursday to approve the 28-point plan, which calls for Ukraine to cede territory, accept limits on its military and abandon its ambitions to join NATO.
For many Ukrainians, including soldiers fighting on the front lines, such terms would amount to surrender after nearly four years of fighting in Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II.
There has been considerable confusion since the plan was announced about who was involved in its drafting. European allies noted that they were not consulted.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that Ukraine's borders cannot be changed by force, its army cannot be reduced, leaving it vulnerable to attack, and the European Union must play a central role in a peace agreement for Ukraine.