(CNN) — US Secretary of State Marco Rubio projected optimism on Sunday after what he described as productive discussions between American and Ukrainian officials in Geneva, Switzerland, aimed at stopping the war in Ukraine.

The talks were “probably the most productive and meaningful” so far, Rubio told reporters after the first session.

The 28-point peace plan put forward by US President Donald Trump continues to evolve as the delegates work to achieve terms that would be acceptable to both Ukraine and Russia, Rubio said.

“This is a living, breathing document. Every day, with input, it changes,” he said, “The items that remain open are not insurmountable. We just need more time than what we have today,” he said.

The US proposal had attracted bipartisan criticism for its concessions to Russia. The plan puts pressure on Kyiv to cede territory, limit its military’s size, and promise not to join NATO in exchange for an end to the war — all long-standing Kremlin demands.

Amid the scrutiny, a US State Department spokesperson maintained that the proposal was “authored by the United States, with input from both the Russians and Ukrainians.”

The White House on Sunday said “revisions and clarifications” were made to the proposal with input from top US, Ukrainian, and European officials in Geneva, adding that the Ukrainians believe that the current draft “reflects their national security interests.”

“The Ukrainian delegation affirmed that all of their principal concerns —security guarantees, long-term economic development, infrastructure protection, freedom of navigation, and political sovereignty — were thoroughly addressed during the meeting,” the White House said in a statement.

The optimistic sentiment was echoed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who praised the “substantive” results from the meeting. “Much is changing: we are working very carefully on the steps needed to end the war,” Zelensky said in a video address posted on Telegram.

Zelensky’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, called the Ukraine-US meeting “very productive” and extended his thanks to Trump for his commitment “to bring this peace.”

The tentative signs of progress came just hours after Trump lashed out at Ukrainian leadership for showing “zero gratitude” toward US efforts to broker peace.

“UKRAINE ‘LEADERSHIP’ HAS EXPRESSED ZERO GRATITUDE FOR OUR EFFORTS, AND EUROPE CONTINUES TO BUY OIL FROM RUSSIA,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

Speaking to reporters later Sunday, Rubio told CNN’s Matthew Chance that he has spoken to Trump since then, and he is “pleased” with the progress that has been made.

A joint statement released by the White House and Zelensky described the discussions as “highly productive,” showing “meaningful progress toward aligning positions and identifying clear next steps” and resulting in “an updated and refined peace framework.”

Ukraine also expressed its gratitude in the joint statement toward the US and Trump “for their tireless efforts aimed at ending the war and the loss of life.”

Zelensky noted in his video address that “there are signs that President Trump’s team is listening” to their side.

The US president has given Kyiv until Thursday to accept the US-backed proposal. But ahead of the meeting, Trump cast doubt on his own timing, telling reporters on the South Lawn of the White House the plan was not his “final offer.”

Rubio similarly indicated on Sunday that the timeline is fluid, noting that the “Russians get a vote here” too. “Our goal is to end this war as soon as possible, but we need a little more time,” he said.

Rubio met with the Ukrainian delegation alongside Trump special envoy Steve Witkoff, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, and several other officials.

Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who has occasionally played a key role in international affairs during Trump’s first and second terms, was also a member of the US delegation.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb said on X Monday that the Geneva “negotiations were a step forward, but there are still major issues which remain to be resolved.”

A group of Western and European leaders who met on the sidelines of the G20 in South Africa on Saturday earlier welcomed the uptick in diplomatic efforts but expressed concern over the US proposal, saying it was only “an initial draft” that “will require additional work.”

“We are clear on the principle that borders must not be changed by force. We are also concerned by the proposed limitations on Ukraine’s armed forces, which would leave Ukraine vulnerable to future attack,” a statement from the leaders said ahead of the Geneva talks.

Asked by CNN ahead of the Ukraine-US talks if Kyiv would reject Trump’s proposal, Yermak said they were “preparing for a constructive conversation.”

Earlier on Sunday, the Ukrainian delegation met with officials from the UK, Germany, and France, Yermak said. The Ukrainian president also held discussions with leaders from several countries, including France, Germany, Canada, Croatia, and Luxembourg.

Europe counters with revised proposal

Prior to the White House statement on revisions to the US proposal, Reuters reported that Britain, France, and Germany had drafted a counter-proposal to the US plan with an array of key changes.

A European official and a European diplomatic source confirmed the text’s accuracy to CNN’s Chief International Security Correspondent Nick Paton Walsh.

One of those officials said the text was an accurate reflection of European bids to change the US draft proposal, but that further alterations could have been made during the fast-moving talks in Geneva.

Among the key changes included in the counter-proposal was a softening of the language around restricting NATO in Europe. The European version removed references to territorial concessions and the US deal’s recognition of Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk as de facto Russian territory.

The counter-proposal demands that a ceasefire must be reached first and sets the current front line as the basis for any future discussions on territorial swaps. It also omits the 100-day deadline for elections in Ukraine, instead saying elections will be held as soon as possible after the signing of the peace agreement.

It is unclear whether Europe would engage in the US-led talks with Ukraine and Russia. A Western diplomat told CNN there was concern that the US “will not let us in the tent” and exclude European powers from negotiations.

One European diplomat told CNN that any future deal “cannot entail recognition of occupation. The contact line should be a point of departure.”

“There should be no removal of the right to choose alliances, no cap on Ukraine’s armed forces, or back door introduction of Russia’s demands on European security,” the diplomat said.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he is “skeptical” an agreement will be reached on the US-proposed plan in time for Trump’s deadline, citing concerns over current differing viewpoints.

“I wouldn’t say pessimistic, but I’m not convinced that the solution wanted by President Trump will be reached in the next few days,” Merz said Sunday. “That doesn’t mean it’s completely impossible to reach. … But I’m sceptical whether such an outcome is possible.”

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that he and other world leaders are ready to work on the deal despite having reservations about its contents. “However, before we start our work, it would be good to know for sure who is the author of the plan and where was it created,” Tusk wrote on X.

Planning for a separate meeting between a Russian delegation and the US to discuss the proposal is also in the works and “will happen quickly,” a US official said – but not in Geneva. Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously said he believed the US proposal “could form the basis of a final peace settlement.”

The talks in Switzerland come ahead of a proposed meeting between EU leaders on Monday, announced by European Council President António Costa on Saturday.

In what will be a busy few days of diplomacy, French President Emmanuel Macron said the 30 countries in the “coalition of the willing” supporting Kyiv will hold a video call on Tuesday.

CNN’s Jonny Hallam, Betsy Klein, Sophie Tanno, Nick Paton Walsh, Jennifer Hansler, Matthew Chance, and Oren Liebermann contributed reporting.

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