EUROPEAN leaders said there was “new momentum” in efforts to end the war in Ukraine today.

The US and Ukraine revealed they had drafted a “refined peace framework,” modifying a controversial 28-point plan proposed by US President Donald Trump.

EU officials said they were relieved by the outcome of the talks, which had raised alarm in Kiev and across Europe for appearing to lean heavily towards Moscow’s demands, but warned of a long road to peace.

“The negotiations were a step forward, but there are still major issues which remain to be resolved,” Finnish President Alexander Stubb wrote on X after Sunday’s meeting in Switzerland.

Mr Trump hinted that progress might be possible, posting on Truth Social: “Don’t believe it until you see it, but something good just may be happening.”

The revised framework follows intense criticism of the original US proposal for heavily favouring Moscow’s demands.

The initial plan pressed Ukraine to consent to handing over some of its territory to Moscow and slashing the size of its army.

The proposal also sought Europe’s agreement that Ukraine will never be admitted into Nato.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomed the “interim result,” saying the US proposal “has now been modified in significant parts.”

But, he cautioned: “It was possible to clear up some questions, but we also know that there won’t be peace in Ukraine overnight.”

German Foreign Minister Johannes Wadephul praised US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for making “decisive positive contributions to ensuring that this plan can be accepted by both the European and Ukrainian sides.”

He said: “All issues concerning Europe or Nato have been removed from this plan, which is a decisive success.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his delegation was returning home from Geneva to report on the talks, saying that diplomacy had been “reinvigorated.”

But Russian officials still have not seen the revised peace plan text, a Kremlin spokesperson said today.

Meanwhile, Russian drones hit residential areas of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, overnight, killing four people and wounding 13, including two children.

Eight residential buildings, an educational facility and power lines were damaged in the attack.

Ukraine’s air force says Russia fired 162 strike and decoy drones over the country overnight.

Russia also resumed its night-time drone attacks on Ukraine’s civilian and port infrastructure close to Romania’s border, the Nato member’s Defence Ministry said today.