On November 18, a closed door session at the White House brought together United States leadership and senior advisers to formalise a new peace initiative for Ukraine, laying the groundwork for what quickly became active diplomacy in Geneva and beyond.

The meeting, convened by the U.S. President and led by Vice President and Secretary of State, approved a 28-point peace framework intended to break the stalemate in Ukraine.

During the strategy session, the plan — encompassing security guarantees, territorial and governance proposals, and a roadmap for post-war reconstruction — was vetted and green-lit for diplomatic outreach.

The following weekend, U.S. and Ukrainian negotiators met in Geneva, where they pared down the plan to 20 core items and reported substantive agreement on 18.

The White House entrusted the delivery of the proposal to the U.S. Army Secretary, who was already scheduled to visit Kyiv.

His trip signalled a shift from quiet diplomacy to active shuttle negotiation.

Though European capitals expressed concern over several of the plan’s original terms — particularly those touching on territorial concessions — the administration pressed ahead, underscoring its determination to bring both Kyiv and Moscow to the table.

The November-18 meeting also marked a recalibration of U.S. policy: rather than merely supplying military aid, Washington is now pursuing a political settlement it hopes can end the war on terms acceptable to multiple stakeholders.

Its architects see the new approach as a fresh opportunity to reset Europe’s security architecture and deliver a durable peace — even if major challenges remain before any agreement can be finalised.