Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to speak with US President Donald Trump after Washington presented Kyiv with a draft peace plan aimed at ending the war with Russia — a proposal reportedly crafted without Ukraine’s involvement.
The proposal, said to be prepared by US special envoy Steve Witkoff and his Russian counterpart Kirill Dmitriev, has raised concerns in Kyiv due to its alleged pro-Moscow terms.
In a statement, Zelensky’s office confirmed the US believed the plan could “help reinvigorate diplomacy,” and said Ukraine had “agreed to work on the plan’s provisions in a way that would bring about a just end to the war.” Kyiv also said it supports “all substantive proposals capable of bringing genuine peace closer.”
Reports by Axios, the Financial Times, and Reuters suggest the draft includes requirements for Ukraine to relinquish parts of Donbas still under its control, drastically reduce its military, and give up various weapons systems — terms that would align closely with Russia’s interests. Ukraine has not confirmed these details publicly.
At the White House, press secretary Karoline Leavitt rejected claims that the proposal demands major concessions from Kyiv.
“It’s a good plan for both Russia and Ukraine,” she said, adding that Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio had been “engaging both sides equally.” She did not provide further specifics.
The Kremlin, meanwhile, downplayed the significance of the plan. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov acknowledged US “contacts” but insisted there was “no process that could be called consultations.”
The announcement from Kyiv followed Zelensky’s meeting with senior US military officials, including US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, Army Chief of Staff Gen Randy George, and US Army Europe commander Gen Chris Donahue.
Despite Ukraine’s lukewarm response to the plan, Zelensky publicly thanked President Trump for his efforts to restore “security to Europe,” signalling a desire to maintain constructive ties with Washington.
In his nightly address, Zelensky stressed that Ukraine needs a “worthy peace” — one that respects “the dignity of the Ukrainian people.”
However, neither Ukraine nor its European partners were involved in drafting the plan. EU foreign ministers have warned the US against developing proposals without consulting Kyiv or Brussels.
“For any plan to work, it needs Ukrainians and Europeans on board,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said.
Peskov reiterated that any peace agreement must address the “root causes of the conflict,” Moscow’s shorthand for demands Kyiv views as unacceptable and equivalent to surrender.
Ukrainian MP Lisa Yasko told the BBC that Ukraine “had not been consulted,” adding, “It looks like someone wants to decide things for us, and that’s very painful for most Ukrainians.”
Since beginning his second term, Trump has launched several diplomatic efforts to end the war, including a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska and multiple Moscow visits by envoy Witkoff.
As the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion approaches, both sides remain far apart on conditions for peace, even as Ukraine continues its long-range strikes on Russian targets and Moscow’s attacks on Ukrainian cities persist.
Earlier this week, a Russian missile and drone strike on residential buildings in Ternopil killed at least 26 people. Seventeen others remain missing, Zelensky said, as he extended condolences to the victims’ families.
