Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to speak with Donald Trump after Washington presented Kyiv with a draft peace plan aimed at ending the war with Russia.
The proposal, reportedly crafted by US special envoy Steve Witkoff and his Russian counterpart Kirill Dmitriev without Ukraine’s participation, is being described by US officials as an attempt to “reinvigorate diplomacy.” Zelensky’s office said Ukraine had agreed to work through the plan’s provisions if they could lead to a “just end to the war,” adding that Kyiv supported “all substantive proposals capable of bringing genuine peace closer.”
Though Ukrainian officials have not shared details, reports from Axios, the Financial Times, and Reuters suggest the draft asks Kyiv to surrender the remaining territories it controls in the Donbas, drastically reduce its military, and give up many of its weapons—terms that would heavily favor Moscow. Unsurprisingly, Ukraine’s response has been cautious.
At the White House, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed claims that the proposal requires major concessions from Kyiv. She said Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio had been “engaging both sides equally,” calling it “a good plan for both Russia and Ukraine,” though she offered no specifics.
The Kremlin downplayed the initiative, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov acknowledging only unspecified “contacts” with the US while denying any formal consultations. The proposal is rumored to contain 28 points.
Zelensky’s remarks followed meetings in Kyiv with senior US military leaders, including US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and top commanders Gen Randy George and Gen Chris Donahue. Despite reservations, Zelensky thanked Trump for attempting to restore “security to Europe,” signaling a desire to maintain working relations with Washington.
In his nightly address, Zelensky stressed that Ukraine seeks a “worthy peace” that respects the “dignity of the Ukrainian people.” European leaders echoed this sentiment, warning against drafting peace plans without Kyiv or EU involvement. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said any viable plan must have “Ukrainians and Europeans on board.”
Ukrainian MP Lisa Yasko criticized the lack of consultation, saying it felt as though others were trying to “decide things for us,” a sentiment she described as painful for many Ukrainians.
Since beginning his second term, Trump has pushed multiple initiatives aimed at resolving the conflict, including a summit with Vladimir Putin in Alaska and repeated high-level conversations involving both Kyiv and Moscow. Yet, as the war approaches its fourth anniversary, the two sides remain far from agreement.
Hostilities continue on the ground. While Ukraine has improved its long-range drone strikes on Russian military and energy targets, Moscow’s bombardments persist. Earlier this week, a Russian missile and drone attack on residential buildings in Ternopil killed at least 26 people, with more still missing.