Russia on Sunday said it had captured three more villages in eastern Ukraine as US, Ukrainian and European officials gathered in Geneva to discuss a controversial plan to end the war.
Moscow’s defence ministry said troops had seized Petrivske in the Donetsk region, as well as Tikhe and Otradne in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
Kyiv has been scrambling to hold on to key strongholds on the eastern front, where Russian soldiers have been steadily gaining ground.
Russia’s latest advances came ahead of talks in Geneva to discuss US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the nearly four-year war.
Trump has given Ukraine until November 27 to approve the proposal, but Kyiv is seeking changes to a draft that accepts some of Russia’s hardline demands.
The 28-point plan would require the invaded country to cede territory, cut its army, and pledge never to join NATO.
It also offers Western security guarantees to Kyiv to prevent further Russian attacks.
Russian leader Vladimir Putin has welcomed the proposal, saying it could “lay the foundation” for a final peace settlement, but threatened more land seizures if Ukraine walked away from negotiations.
Norway says US plan flawed
There are “major flaws” in the US plan under discussion Sunday to end the war in Ukraine, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store told AFP in South Africa.
A draft of the plan, which echoes several of Russia’s hardline demands, has drawn pushback from Kyiv and its European allies who are seeking some changes.
“We need US engagement to help end the war in Ukraine and stop the Russian aggression. That is positive,” Store said on the sidelines of the G20 summit.
“But the plan is insufficient and it has major flaws that need to be worked on. One of them is to get Europe at the table and, not least, get Ukraine at the table,” he said.
“Changing borders by force is unacceptable,” Store said, referring to the 28-point document.
Ukrainian, European and Canadian national security officials were gathering in Geneva on Sunday to discuss the proposal.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio flew into the Swiss city for the discussions, after Washington signalled room for negotiation.
Store stressed that the plan must align with international law, including principles in the Charter of the United Nations.
He was among a host of international leaders in South Africa for the G20 meeting wrapping up Sunday.
European leaders attending a separate summit in the Angolan capital Luanda on Monday are also due to hold talks on the plan for Ukraine.
