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The discussions were centred on a 28-point proposal, confirmed to be authored by the United States with input from both Kyiv and Moscow. The proposal, which leaked days prior to the talks, caused widespread confusion among allies and a fierce political debate within the US administration.

In a series of weekend posts on his social media platform, President Trump complained that Ukraine’s leadership “has expressed zero gratitude” for American efforts. He also accused European countries of continuing to buy oil from Russia while the United States “continues to sell massive amounts of weapons to NATO, for distribution to Ukraine.” His comments came directly before the Geneva negotiations began.

The peace framework also sparked chaos in Washington. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio faced a major crisis after reports emerged that he told Senators the plan was a “Russian wish list” and not an American proposal. Rubio then publicly reversed course, confirming via a social media post that the plan was indeed “authored by the U.S.” but based on input from all sides. Trump, for his part, later said the plan was not America’s “final offer,” adding to the uncertainty over Washington’s definitive position.

In Europe, leaders voiced significant concerns about the proposal’s concessions. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated publicly that while a chance to end the war existed, he was “still quite a way from a good outcome for everyone,” reflecting widespread European scepticism. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stressed that any settlement must protect Ukraine’s sovereignty and preserve the European Union’s central role in security.

From Kyiv, senior Ukrainian officials were cautiously positive about the diplomatic process but firm on red lines. Andriy Yermak, President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff, said the Geneva meeting showed “very good progress” and noted that teams would continue to refine the text.

However, a major sticking point is that the draft framework reportedly crosses Ukraine’s long-standing red lines, particularly demanding the withdrawal of forces from the remaining Ukrainian-controlled part of Donetsk province, a territorial concession Kyiv has repeatedly rejected.

The proposal has also drawn criticism in Washington. Several Republican lawmakers rejected the plan’s concessions, warning that any agreement must reflect “the will of the Ukrainian people,” signalling deep resistance to any arrangement that could pressure Ukraine into ceding territory.

European diplomats warned privately that they were preparing for the possibility that the United States could scale back its military and financial support for Ukraine, a scenario they described as increasingly plausible if Kyiv rejects the plan. They stressed that if Western unity breaks down, Ukraine could be left vulnerable at a critical moment in the conflict.

The Geneva talks are expected to continue, but the fundamental disagreements surrounding the peace plan, combined with Trump’s public attacks, have raised new questions about whether the West can remain united as efforts continue to reach a credible and durable settlement.

The summit opened under strain. The United States boycotted the meeting entirely.

Russia’s Vladimir Putin, China’s Xi Jinping and Mexico’s Claudia Sheinbaum were also absent from the summit. Putin is wanted by the international criminal court, to which South Africa is a signatory. Xi has delegated attending many international gatherings this year to China’s premier, Li Qiang.

In an unusual move, world leaders from the Group of 20 broke with tradition and adopted a declaration at the start of their summit in South Africa on Saturday despite opposition from the United States.

Traditionally, such declarations are adopted at the end, but the hosts acted early to ensure the meeting showed at least a minimum of unity.

The declaration focused on the priorities of developing countries, highlighting debt sustainability and the need for support to nations affected by climate-related disasters.

President Cyril Ramaphosa said the text “reaffirms our renewed commitment to multilateral cooperation and our recognition that our shared goals outweigh our differences.” The declaration remained non-binding and largely symbolic.

Besides, the war in Ukraine dominated discussions, and French president Emmanuel Macron warned that the G20 “may be reaching the end of a cycle,” saying members were finding it difficult to resolve major crises together.

Only hours after the declaration was adopted, Argentina’s foreign minister said his country “cannot approve this declaration,” pointing to “red lines,” especially regarding the wording on the Middle East conflict.

The United States also criticized the host country, accusing South Africa of “weaponising their G20 presidency to undermine the G20’s founding principles.”

Although a joint declaration allowed the summit to save face on paper, the tensions revealed in Johannesburg showed the fragile state of the forum.

The visit took place on November 18 and 19, 2025, during which Dr. Muyoboke toured various justice-related institutions in The Gambia, including the country’s school of law.

In 2024, The Gambia revised its law regulating the legal profession, adding provisions that specify which countries’ law degrees are recognized for practicing law in Gambia. According to the new law, no one can practice law in Gambia without presenting a valid degree from a recognized country.

In Africa, recognized countries include Rwanda, Ghana, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone. In Europe, countries like Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, and the United Kingdom, which colonized Gambia, are recognized. In the Americas, only Canada is accepted, while in Asia, countries like India, Malaysia, New Zealand, and Australia are recognized.

Dr. Muyoboke explained that the relationship between the two institutions has sparked the beginning of discussions on how justice institutions in both countries can collaborate.

During the visit, the President of the Gambian Bar Association, Neneh Cham, spoke with the President of the Rwanda Bar Association, Moise Nkundabarashi, exploring avenues of collaboration between Rwandan lawyers and their Gambian counterparts.

This collaboration is expected to facilitate Gambian students who graduate from ILPD and other future initiatives.

Dr. Muyoboke further mentioned that both The Gambia’s Supreme Court and Rwanda’s Supreme Court have set up dedicated teams to assess how the justice institutions can work together effectively.

In September of this year, the President of the Supreme Court of Rwanda, Mukantaganzwa Domitille, also visited The Gambia’s justice institutions, marking the start of in-depth discussions on collaboration.

This followed the visits of The Gambia’s Supreme Court President, Hassan B. Jallow, and the Head of the Gambian Law School, Rougie Thomasi, to Rwanda.

Dr. Muyoboke expressed hope that these discussions would yield positive results in the future.

He said, “This visit will strengthen cooperation in judicial education, research, and the development of the legal profession. There is a strong desire to promote legal professionalism and collaboration in our continent, and this will be possible through our partnership.”

The President of the Supreme Court of The Gambia, Hassan B. Jallow, also stated that Dr. Muyoboke’s visit was very valuable, as it continues to build the good relationship between The Gambia and Rwanda, particularly in the field of justice.

He added, “For me, Rwanda is like a second home. I lived and worked there. The partnership we will have benefits us all, and working together as Africans is what is needed on our continent.”

During his visit, Dr. Muyoboke also met with The Gambia’s Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Dawda A. Jallow, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Hussein Thomasi, and others, including former ILPD students from The Gambia, who have now founded an association called the ‘ILPD Alumni, Gambia Chapter.’

One Gambian lawyer, B.M. Bajo, who works in Rwanda, told IGIHE that he is excited about the collaboration between the two countries.

He explained that before the legal recognition agreement between Rwanda and The Gambia, Gambian lawyers working in Rwanda faced challenges in advancing their careers.

However, he believes that these issues are now left behind, as the partnership allows them to represent clients in court and tackle other legal obstacles.

To date, 50 students from The Gambia have graduated from ILPD, with others still studying.

Some of the graduates have chosen to continue working in Rwanda, where they appreciate the values they learned, such as cleanliness, fighting corruption, and advocating for justice.

According to Rwanda’s Office of the President, the two Heads of State discussed the existing cooperation, including Rwanda’s ongoing support through the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) troops serving under the existing bilateral security agreement as well as those serving in the United Nations Mission.

Both leaders also exchanged on the opportunities to strengthen bilateral cooperation through collaboration in various sectors of mutual benefit for the people of the Central African Republic and Rwanda.

President Touadéra arrived in Kigali on November 23, 2025, where he was received by Rwanda’s Minister of Interior, Dr. Vincent Biruta, before meeting President Kagame later in the evening.

Relations between Rwanda and the Central African Republic have grown significantly over the years, with security cooperation standing at the core of this partnership.

Rwanda first deployed troops to the Central African Republic in 2014 as part of efforts to restore stability following waves of conflict that began in 2012.

Rwandan forces were initially deployed under the African Union mission, MISCA, before transitioning to the United Nations peacekeeping mission, MINUSCA, a few months later.

Their responsibilities included protecting civilians, safeguarding UN equipment, and ensuring the security of the CAR Head of State and his family.

In 2020, Rwanda sent additional troops under a bilateral agreement with the Central African Republic. Through the same agreement, Rwandan forces have been training CAR’s national army.

In March 2025, the third cohort of 438 CAR soldiers trained by Rwandan troops completed their military courses, which included enemy detection, territorial defence, map reading, and field operations.

Over nearly 11 years of cooperation, the partnership has expanded beyond security, with Rwandan peacekeepers also supporting community welfare initiatives, including providing medical services to local residents.

In February 2025, Rwanda and the Central African Republic further deepened their cooperation by signing a security partnership agreement between their respective interior ministries.

President Touadéra’s visit comes just days before the Central African Republic heads to presidential elections scheduled for December 2025.

In July 2025, he announced that he would be seeking another term in office.

According to media reports, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff attended the meeting.

The Ukrainian delegation was led by Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian Presidential Office.

Also, national security advisers from France, Germany and the United Kingdom, as well as representatives of the European Union, also took part in the meeting.

Yermak said on social media platform X on Sunday that the Ukrainian delegation had begun its work in Geneva.

He said the team held its first meeting with national security advisers from the United Kingdom, France and Germany and would next meet with the U.S. delegation, adding that they were “in a very constructive mood.”

Yermak added that a series of meetings in various formats was planned for the day as the sides continue working together to achieve a lasting and just peace for Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also said on social media platform X on Sunday that he hoped the talks would be constructive and lead to a positive outcome.

President Touadéra was received by Rwanda’s Minister of Internal Security, Dr. Vincent Biruta. His visit underscores the strong partnership between Rwanda and the Central African Republic, particularly in the areas of security and peacekeeping.

Rwandan forces first deployed to the Central African Republic in 2014 as part of peacekeeping efforts following civil unrest in 2012. Initially under the African Union mission MISCA, and later the United Nations mission MINUSCA, Rwandan troops have played a key role in protecting civilians, safeguarding UN facilities, and providing security for the Head of State and his family.

In 2020, Rwanda reinforced its support through additional troop deployments and military training programs for the Central African Republic’s armed forces. The third cohort of 438 soldiers trained by Rwanda completed their courses in March 2025, gaining skills in enemy reconnaissance, tactical operations, and field exercises.

Beyond security, Rwanda has contributed to improving the welfare of Central African citizens, with its forces supporting healthcare and other community services. In February 2025, both countries signed a security cooperation agreement to further strengthen bilateral ties.