French President Emmanuel Macron, right, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pose prior to a meeting, Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, at the Elysee Palace in Paris
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed renewed optimism on Monday after reviewing revisions to the U.S.-proposed Ukraine peace plan. He said the updated version “looks better,” though extensive work still lies ahead in efforts to end Russia’s nearly four-year invasion.
Zelenskyy made the remarks in Paris after meeting French President Emmanuel Macron, adding fresh momentum to a week filled with high-stakes diplomacy.
Revised Ukraine Peace Plan Gains Traction in Paris
Zelenskyy arrived in Paris a day after senior Ukrainian and U.S. officials met in Brussels.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called that meeting productive.
Both governments are now working to adjust the Ukraine peace plan, which critics previously said favored Russian interests too heavily.
The original U.S. framework, drafted under the Trump administration, included strict limits on Ukraine’s military, blocked NATO membership, and required Ukraine to surrender occupied land.
Trump has since described the proposal as only a “concept” that needs “fine-tuning.”
Zelenskyy insisted that Ukraine’s control over its territories remains the most challenging part of the negotiations.
Macron Warns Talks Are Still in a ‘Preliminary Phase’
President Macron said discussions on the Ukraine peace plan remain in an early stage.
But he described the current diplomatic surge as a potential “turning point” for Europe’s security landscape.
Macron emphasized that any final peace deal must involve European nations.
He again pushed for “rock-solid” security guarantees for Ukraine if a ceasefire becomes viable.
The French leader also reaffirmed his support for a multinational “reassurance force” to protect Ukraine on land, sea, and air.
His office confirmed that he and Zelenskyy held talks with leaders from Britain, Germany, Italy, Poland, Norway, Finland, Denmark, and the Netherlands.
EU chiefs Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa also joined, along with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.
Zelenskyy and Macron later spoke by phone with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, whose role has drawn scrutiny.
Witkoff’s Upcoming Meeting With Putin Raises Questions
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that President Vladimir Putin will meet U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff on Tuesday.
Witkoff’s involvement was criticized last week after reports suggested he coached Putin’s advisers on how to pitch the Ukraine peace plan to Trump.
The development adds new uncertainty to the fragile diplomatic process.
Russia Claims More Battlefield Gains Ahead of Talks
Moscow boasted of fresh advances on Monday.
Russian commanders told Putin they captured Pokrovsk in Donetsk and Vovchansk in Kharkiv.
Russia still uses Pokrovsk’s old Soviet name, Krasnoarmeysk.
However, Zelenskyy disputed the claim in Paris, saying fighting continued inside Pokrovsk.
He also rejected Moscow’s earlier assertion that Russian forces had seized Kupiansk, insisting Ukrainian troops had pushed them out.
Pokrovsk sits along the heavily fortified “fortress belt,” a line critical to Ukraine’s defense of eastern Donetsk.
Escalation Continues as Both Sides Trade Attacks
The Kremlin condemned Ukrainian naval drone strikes on Russian oil infrastructure over the weekend.
One attack damaged a key terminal near Novorossiysk, operated by the Caspian Pipeline Consortium.
Another strike targeted two Russian tankers in Turkish waters.
Ukraine confirmed it launched both operations.
Russia said 32 Ukrainian drones were destroyed overnight across 11 regions and the Sea of Azov.
In Dagestan, an apartment block was damaged during a Ukrainian strike.
The city of Kaspiysk sits over 1,000 kilometers from the front line.
Russian Missile Strike Devastates Central Dnipro
A Russian missile attack killed four people midday Monday in Dnipro.
Forty more were injured, including 11 in critical condition.
The strike damaged apartment blocks, an educational building, and a humanitarian storage facility.
Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia fired 89 drones hours before the Dnipro attack.
Sixty-three were intercepted or jammed.
The Air Force added that Russia launched 100 missiles and nearly 9,600 drones in November alone.
