By DASHA LITVINOVA and ISOBEL KOSHIW, Associated Press

Diplomats face an uphill battle to reconcile Russian and Ukrainian “red lines” as a renewed U.S.-led push to end the war gathers steam, with Ukrainian officials attending talks in the U.S. over the weekend and Washington officials expected in Moscow early this week.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace plan became public last month, sparking alarm that it was too favorable to Moscow. It was revised following talks in Geneva between the U.S. and Ukraine a week ago.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said the revised plan could be “workable.” Russian President Vladimir Putin called it a possible “basis” for a future peace agreement. Trump said Sunday “there’s a good chance we can make a deal.”

Still, officials on both sides indicated a long road ahead as key sticking points — over whether Kyiv should cede land to Moscow and how to ensure Ukraine’s future security — appear unresolved.

Here is where things stand and what to expect this week:

U.S. holds talks with Kyiv then Moscow

Trump representatives met the Ukrainian officials over the weekend and plan to meet with the Russians in coming days.

Ukraine’s national security council head Rustem Umerov, the head of Ukraine’s armed forces Andrii Hnatov, presidential adviser Oleksandr Bevz and others met with U.S. officials for about four hours on Sunday. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the session was productive but more work remains. Umerov praised the U.S. for its support but offered no details.

Zelenskyy’s former chief of staff and former lead negotiator for Ukraine, Andrii Yermak, resigned Friday amid a corruption scandal and is no longer part of the negotiating team. It was only a week ago that Rubio met with Yermak in Geneva, resulting in a revised peace plan.

Trump said last week that he would send his envoy Steve Witkoff to Russia. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed Monday that Putin will meet Witkoff on Tuesday afternoon.

FILE – Starting from the right, U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, President Vladimir Putin’s envoy Kirill Dmitriev, and Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, attend talks with Putin at the Kremlin, in Moscow, on April 25, 2025. (Kristina Kormilitsyna, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)

Trump suggested he could eventually meet with Putin and Zelenskyy, but not until there has been more progress.

Witkoff’s role in the peace efforts came under scrutiny last week following a report that he coached Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s foreign affairs adviser, on how Russia’s leader should pitch Trump on the Ukraine peace plan. Both Moscow and Washington downplayed the significance of the revelations.

Where the two sides stand

Eager to please Trump, Kyiv and Moscow have ostensibly welcomed the peace plan and the push to end the war. But Russia has continued attacking Ukraine and reiterated its maximalist demands, indicating a deal is still a ways off.

Putin implied last week that he will fight as a long as it takes to achieve his goals, saying that he will stop only when Ukrainian troops withdraw from all four Ukrainian regions that Russia illegally annexed in 2022 and still doesn’t fully control. “If they don’t withdraw, we’ll achieve this by force. That’s all,” he said.

FILE – Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff shake hands during their meeting at the Kremlin, in Moscow, on Aug. 6, 2025. (Gavriil Grigorov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)

The plan, Putin said, “could form the basis for future agreements,” but it is in no way final and requires “a serious discussion.”

Zelenskyy has refrained from talking about individual points, opting instead to thank Trump profusely for his efforts and emphasizing the need for Europe – whose interests are more closely aligned with Ukraine’s – to be involved. He also has stressed the importance of robust security guarantees for Ukraine.

The first version of the plan granted some core Russian demands that Ukraine considers nonstarters, such as ceding land to Moscow that it doesn’t yet occupy and renouncing its bid to become a member of NATO.

Zelenskyy has said repeatedly that giving up territory is not an option. One of the Ukrainian negotiators, Bevz, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that Ukraine’s president wanted to discuss the territory issue with Trump directly. Yermak then told The Atlantic in an interview on Thursday that Zelenskyy would not sign over the land.

Zelenskyy also maintains that NATO membership is the cheapest way to guarantee Ukraine’s security, and NATO’s 32 member countries said last year that Ukraine is on an “irreversible” path to membership. Since he took office, Trump has made it clear that NATO membership is off the table.

Moscow, in turn, has bristled at any suggestion of a Western peacekeeping force on the ground in Ukraine, and stressed that keeping Ukraine out of NATO and NATO out of Ukraine was one of the core goals of the war.

Putin seems to have time on his side

Zelenskyy, meanwhile, has been under pressure at home.

Yermak’s resignation was a major blow for Zelenskyy, although neither the president nor Yermak have been accused of wrongdoing by investigators.

“Russia really wants Ukraine to make mistakes. There won’t be mistakes on our side,” Zelenskyy said. “Our work continues, our struggle continues. We don’t have a right not to push it to the end.”

An activist with Ukraine’s nongovernmental Anti-Corruption Center, Valeriia Radchenko, said letting go of Yermak was the right decision and would open a “window of opportunity for reform.”

Putin, meanwhile, seeks to project confidence, boasting of Russia’s advances on the battlefield.

The Russian leader “feels more confident than ever about the battlefield situation and is convinced that he can wait until Kyiv finally accepts that it cannot win and must negotiate on Russia’s well-known terms,” Tatiana Stanovaya of the Carnegie Russia and Eurasia Center wrote on X. “If the Americans can help move things in that direction — fine. If not, he knows how to proceed anyway. That is the current Kremlin logic.”

Europe’s conundrum

NATO and the EU are holding several meetings this week focused on Ukraine.

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Zelenskyy is holding talks with French President Emmanuel Macro n in Paris on Monday. In Brussels, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte is hosting Ukrainian Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal and EU defense and foreign ministers are gathering to discuss European military support for Ukraine and Europe’s defense readiness.

On Wednesday, NATO foreign ministers will gather again in Brussels.

The main issue for the EU right now is what to do with the frozen Russian assets in Belgium that the Trump peace plan in its initial version sought to use for post-war investment in Ukraine.

Those funds are central to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s strategy to ensure continued help for Ukraine while also maintaining pressure on Russia. But Belgium’s prime minister is holding out, worried about the legal implications of tapping the frozen assets for Ukraine, the impact that could have on the euro — and of Russian retaliation.

The diplomacy set in motion by Trump’s peace plan “painfully exposed” Europe’s weakness, Nigel Gould-Davies of the International Institute for Strategic Studies wrote in a recent commentary.

“Despite being the main source of Ukraine’s economic and military support, it is marginal to the diplomacy of the war and has done little more than offer amendments to America’s draft peace plan,” Gould-Davies wrote.

SEATTLE — The last time the Vikings were shut out, head coach Kevin O’Connell was still playing quarterback for San Diego State. That’s because it had been 18 years since the Vikings failed to put up a single point in a game.

Not anymore.

After looking lifeless in the final 30 minutes of play last weekend in a 23-6 loss to the Green Bay Packers, the Vikings were even worse across 60 minutes of play this weekend in a 26-0 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

A putrid effort from the offense on Sunday afternoon at Lumen Field spoiled a solid effort from the defense.

The problems for the Vikings offensively extend far beyond rookie quarterback Max Brosmer being thrown into the deep end of the pool. It seems what was once the biggest strength for the Vikings has become their biggest weakness.

Here are some takeaways from the loss:

Kevin O’Connell had another questionable play call

The fact that O’Connell is constantly being criticized for his play calling speaks to where the Vikings are at right now.

Though some of that criticism has been misguided coming from a frustrated fan base, the critics have every right to be upset with latest the play call that O’Connell dialed up in a short yardage situation.

Never mind that the Vikings only needed to gain a yard to move the chains against the Seahawks shortly before halftime. That was apparently a long enough distance for O’Connell to abandon the run in favor trusting Brosmer to make something happen.

It went worse than O’Connell could’ve ever imagined as Brosmer panicked under pressure and threw an interception that was returned 85 yards the other way for a touchdown. It was a questionable play call in real time that was made so much worse by what happened after after the snap.

It almost feels like O’Connell is allergic to running the ball in short yardage situation.

Maybe because he doesn’t trust the interior of the offensive line. Maybe because he is wired to air it out as much as possible. Maybe a little bit of both.

Max Brosmer wasn’t ready for the limelight

It was fun to talk about Brosmer last week leading up to the first start of his career. He genuinely felt like somebody worth getting excited about with how glowingly everybody spoke about his skill set.

That optimism proved to be fleeting as Brosmer looked overwhelmed while starting for the Viking in the game against the Seahawks. He completed 19 of 30 pass attempts for 126 yards, no touchdowns, and four interceptions.

The biggest mistake from Brosmer was obviously the interception he threw in teh red zone that was returned for a touchdown. The turned the game upside down and the Vikings never recovered.

There’s a chance Brosmer could still carve out a niche for himself as a backup. He’s certainly not ready to be a starter anytime soon.

Justin Jefferson declined comment

The way star receiver Justin Jefferson has carried himself over the past couple of months has been admirable to say the least.

He has hyped up whoever is throwing him the ball, whether it was young quarterback J.J. McCarthy, or veteran quarterback Carson Wentz. He even expressed confidence in Brosmer last week before the first start of his career.

After the worst game of his career, however, Jefferson started to show some signs of frustration. He left the locker room without talking to reporters after the Vikings got embarrassed by the Seahawks. That’s not normal for somebody that has typically spoken after every game, win, lose, or draw.

The stat line was shocking as Jefferson only recorded two reception for four yards. He was actually at negative yardage late in the game before a catch in garbage time.

The lack of production is clearly starting to get to Jefferson as he hasn’t eclipsed 100 yards in a game since the Vikings were across the pond a couple of months ago.

Christian Darrisaw missed the game

The absence of star left tackle Christian Darrisaw played a role in the Vikings being unable to move the ball against the Seahawks. Let’s just say the drop off from Darrisaw to reserve left tackle Justin Skule is immense.

That made life much harder for Brosmer whenever he dropped back to pass.

This is the first time that Darrisaw has missed a game entirely since returning from a significant knee injury. That said, Darrisaw has pulled himself out of a number of games early as he has navigated the recovery process.

It’s risen to a level with Darrisaw that it’s  worth monitoring his availability moving forward.

Dallas Turner continued his breakout

The ascension of edge rusher Dallas Turner appears to be a for real. He recorded a pair of sacks for the Vikings against the Seahawks, proving himself as a force to be reckoned with whenever he’s rushing the passer.

That standout performance from Turner extended his recent hot streak as he has now recorded a sack in back to back to back games. If he can continue to raise his game, he help the Vikings feel a little bit better about their future.

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Today is Monday, Dec. 1, the 335th day of 2025. There are 30 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Dec. 1, 1991, Ukrainians voted overwhelmingly for independence from the Soviet Union.

Also on this date:

In 1824, the presidential election was turned over to the U.S. House of Representatives after none of the candidates (John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, William H. Crawford and Henry Clay) won more than 50% of the electoral vote. Despite Jackson winning the most electoral votes, Adams would ultimately win the presidency.

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In 1955, Rosa Parks, a Black seamstress, was arrested after refusing to give up her seat to a white man on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama. The incident sparked a yearlong boycott of the city’s buses and helped fuel the U.S. civil rights movement.

In 1965, the first “Freedom Flight” from Cuba to the United States landed in Miami. Over the ensuing eight years, the twice-daily flights allowed more than 250,000 Cuban refugees to migrate to the United States through a joint U.S.-Cuban agreement.

In 1969, the U.S. government held its first draft lottery for military service since World War II.

In 2009, President Barack Obama ordered 30,000 more U.S. troops into the war in Afghanistan but promised during a speech to cadets at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point to begin withdrawals in 18 months.

In 2017, retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, who served in President Donald Trump’s first term as his initial national security adviser, pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about reaching out to the Russians on Trump’s behalf. (Trump would later pardon Flynn.)

In 2020, a huge radio telescope in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, that played a key role in astronomical discoveries for more than half a century collapsed. The collapse stunned many scientists who long had relied on what was once the largest radio telescope in the world.

In 2023, Israel’s war with Hamas, which began in October, erupted anew minutes after a weeklong truce expired as Israeli airstrikes hit houses and buildings in the Gaza Strip.

Today’s Birthdays:

World Golf Hall of Famer Lee Trevino is 86.
Rock musician John Densmore (The Doors) is 81.
Actor-singer Bette Midler is 80.
Model-actor Carol Alt is 65.
Actor Jeremy Northam is 64.
Baseball Hall of Famer Larry Walker is 59.
Actor Néstor Carbonell is 58.
Actor-comedian Sarah Silverman is 55.
Actor Riz Ahmed is 43.
Singer-actor Janelle Monáe is 40.
Actor Sarah Snook is 38.
Actor Zoe Kravitz is 37.

SEATTLE — The frustration appears to be setting in for star receiver Justin Jefferson.

After the Vikings were embarrassed in a 26-0 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday afternoon at Lumen Field, Jefferson left the locker room without talking to reporters. The fact that Jefferson declined comment is notable because he has typically spoken after every game — win, lose, or draw.

It’s not a coincidence that Jefferson chose not to speak publicly after only two catches for a career-low four yards.

Though he has shown incredible professionalism over the past couple of months, Jefferson — who has only two touchdown receptions in 11 games — appears to slowly be reaching a boiling point as the Vikings struggle to find their identity on offense.

Asked last week about some of the offensive woes, Jefferson replied, “It’s frustrating to be up here and say the same things every single week.” The lack of production is clearly starting to wear on Jefferson as he searches for answers.

Thielen a healthy scratch

The homecoming has not gone according to plan for veteran receiver Adam Thielen. He hasn’t made much of an impacton the field this season after being acquired via a trade with the Carolina Panthers over the summer, and his snap count has steadily declined over the past couple of months.

That played a role in him being a healthy scratch for the Vikings against the Seahawks on Sunday.

“Just file it under a coach’s decision looking at where we are at some other positions around our roster,” head coach Kevin O’Connell said. “We’re just trying to do what we think is best to win and make sure we’ve got some depth at some other spots.”

Turner has a solid showing

The rise of edge rusher Dallas Turner is a silver lining amid a disappointing campaign. He has come into his own over the past few weeks, recording a sack against the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers before adding a pair of sacks against the Seahawks.

“It was just playing fast,” Turner said. “I feel like that was what happened.”

As the Vikings navigate some hard times, Turner credited veterans edge rushers Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel, among a handful of other defensive players, for helping keep spirits up.

“We have some great older leaders on the defensive side of the ball,” Turner said. “We love working together and bonding together no matter what.”

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