President Volodymyr Zelenskiy warned on Friday that Ukraine could face a stark dilemma — risking either its dignity and freedom or its partnership with Washington — amid intensifying U.S. pressure to accept a controversial peace plan that endorses key Russian demands.
U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed reports that Washington had given Kyiv a one-week deadline to accept the 28-point proposal, telling Fox News Radio that he viewed Thursday as a reasonable cutoff. Trump argued the plan was necessary to end the war before winter intensified the fighting.
“He’ll have to like it,” Trump said, referring to Zelenskiy. “And if he doesn’t, then they should just keep fighting, I guess… At some point he’s going to have to accept something he hasn’t accepted.”
Trump also recalled a tense February meeting with Zelenskiy, saying: “You don’t have the cards.”
A Plan Demanding Major Concessions
According to a draft seen by Reuters, the U.S. proposal requires Ukraine to cede territory, accept permanent limits on its military, and renounce ambitions to join NATO. In return, Russia would withdraw from some occupied areas — but not from the regions it claims to have annexed.
The plan also outlines:
- A permanent cap of 600,000 Ukrainian troops
- A commitment that NATO will never station forces in Ukraine
- A phased lifting of sanctions on Russia
- Russia’s readmission into the G8
- The creation of an investment fund sourced from frozen Russian assets, with Washington receiving a share of the profits
Ukraine’s long-standing demand for binding security guarantees equivalent to NATO’s Article 5 is addressed only vaguely, with a single line promising “robust security guarantees.”
Zelenskiy Rejects Capitulation, Appeals for Unity
Zelenskiy said he would “never betray Ukraine,” stressing that the fight is now over two key principles: dignity and freedom.
“Ukraine can face a very difficult choice — either losing dignity or risking the loss of a major partner,” he said. “I will fight 24/7 to ensure these principles are not overlooked.”
In public remarks, he expressed appreciation for U.S. efforts while carefully avoiding an outright rejection of the plan.
Conflicting Signals From Washington
Reuters reported that U.S. officials had warned Kyiv they might halt intelligence support and weapons supplies if Ukraine rejected the deal. A senior American official later disputed this, saying it was “not accurate” to claim such threats had been made.
Vice President JD Vance said it was a “fantasy” to believe Ukraine could win through additional U.S. aid, writing on X that more weapons or sanctions would not deliver victory.
Moscow Welcomes U.S. Proposal
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he had received the plan, and that while it “requires discussion,” it could serve as a basis for ending the nearly four-year-old conflict. He accused Kyiv and European governments of refusing to accept “the reality of Russian advances.”
Kirill Dmitriev, Putin’s investment envoy involved in back-channel talks with Trump’s special envoy, argued that the plan was designed to “save Ukraine from losing more land and lives.”
European Governments Preparing Counter-Proposal
European leaders — who were not consulted on the U.S. plan — reacted with concern. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned this was “a very dangerous moment,” insisting that Russia has “no legal right whatsoever to any concessions.”
Three sources told Reuters that Ukraine, the UK, France and Germany are preparing an alternative peace proposal to present at the G20 summit in Johannesburg this weekend. Trump is boycotting the event, but European leaders plan to raise the issue on the sidelines.
Umerov Denies Approving U.S. Plan
A senior U.S. official claimed that Rustem Umerov — Ukraine’s former defense minister and a close Zelenskiy ally — had agreed to most of the plan’s elements before presenting it to the president. Umerov immediately denied this, saying he had no role in approving its content and only facilitated technical discussions.
Analysts Warn of Domestic Fallout
Analysts caution that accepting the plan could destabilize Ukrainian society after years of devastating conflict.
“Russia gets everything it wants and Ukraine gets not very much,” said Tim Ash of Chatham House. “If Zelenskiy accepts this, I anticipate huge political, social and economic instability in Ukraine.”
