On Thursday, November 20, 2025, U.S. Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll landed in Kyiv for a pivotal meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. They discussed a new U.S.-backed peace plan that U.S. President Donald Trump is supporting, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Leavitt said at a briefing, "It's a good plan for both Russia and Ukraine, and we believe that it should be acceptable to both sides. And we're working very hard to get it done." 🤝
Behind the scenes, U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and State Secretary Marco Rubio have spent the past month drafting a 28-point framework. It calls for major territorial concessions by Ukraine, reductions in its armed forces, and limits on long-range weapon systems. The draft may even rule out deploying European peacekeepers after a ceasefire.
In Europe, officials worry they could be sidelined. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stressed that any viable peace plan needs strong backing from both Ukraine and Europe to succeed.
Talks between Russia and Ukraine have been stalled since the Trump-Putin meeting in August in Alaska. And while diplomats debate, the situation on the ground is shifting fast.
Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov announced that Russian units from the Zapad group have seized the strategic city of Kupyansk in the Kharkiv region. They are encircling Ukrainian forces on the left bank of the Oskol River. Advancements are also reported in Krasnoarmeysk, with over 75% of the city now under Russian control.
Since the start of November, Russian troops have taken 13 villages—six in the Dnipropetrovsk region and seven in Zaporizhzhia. Kupyansk is a key logistics hub and defense stronghold for Ukrainian forces. Russia previously controlled the city from February to September 2022, when it served as the region's administrative center.
As this week’s high-stakes diplomacy unfolds, young people around the world are watching closely: Will dialogue lead to lasting peace, or will front-line advances change the fate of Eastern Ukraine? 🌍✨
Reference(s):
U.S. army secretary meets Zelenskyy as Russia captures key city
cgtn.com
