Ukraine has officially confirmed that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has received a United States–drafted peace proposal, marking one of the most significant developments in diplomatic efforts to end the nearly four-year war with Russia.
In a statement released on Telegram, Zelenskyy’s office on Thursday, November 20, said the president had been handed “a draft plan” during discussions with a visiting U.S. delegation in Kyiv, emphasising that Washington believes the document could help “unlock the talks” that have long stalled on all fronts.
During the meeting, Zelenskyy outlined to the U.S. officials the fundamental principles that remain non-negotiable for Ukraine, and both sides agreed to continue working on the proposal. The president’s office stressed that Ukraine has always sought a genuine path to peace.
“From the very first seconds of the Russian invasion, Ukraine has sought peace, and we support all meaningful proposals capable of bringing true peace closer,” the statement said, adding that Ukraine backs President Donald Trump’s renewed effort to bring the conflict to an end.
Zelenskyy to discuss key points with Trump
The statement further affirmed Kyiv’s readiness to continue working “constructively with the American side, as well as with our partners in Europe and around the world so that the outcome is peace.”
Zelenskyy and Trump are expected to speak in the coming days to discuss the next steps. Reports indicate that the draft peace framework presented by the United States contains terms that Ukrainian officials privately describe as extremely difficult—if not impossible—to accept without major revisions.
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According to several outlets citing unnamed officials familiar with the document, the proposed framework was developed with input from Russian representatives, though Moscow publicly denies the existence of any new peace plan.
The alleged twenty-eight-point proposal would require Ukraine to cede the remainder of the Donbas region, including territory currently under Ukrainian control. It would also oblige Kyiv to slash the size of its armed forces by half, abandon certain categories of military equipment, and accept a rollback of US military aid.
Additional provisions reportedly include granting the Russian language official state status in Ukraine and formally recognising the Ukrainian branch of the Russian Orthodox Church. One Western official told the Financial Times that the proposal was “heavily tilted towards Russia” and “very comfortable for Putin.”
Ukrainian officials who have reviewed the draft have been quoted describing it as a “non-starter” unless significant changes are made. Despite the pressure, Zelenskyy stressed the importance of American leadership in shaping any future settlement.
“The main thing for stopping the bloodshed and achieving lasting peace is that we work in coordination with all our partners and that American leadership remains effective, strong,” he wrote on Telegram.
European Union reacts
The emergence of the U.S. proposal has sparked immediate concern in Europe, particularly given the scale of concessions reportedly expected from Kyiv.
Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas warned that any peace plan must protect Ukraine’s sovereignty rather than undermine it. She noted that Ukrainians face death and destruction every day.
“Ukrainian people are killed every day, and their infrastructure is bombed every day, and you know the winter is coming, so it’s clear that they are suffering the most [and] they want the suffering to end as fast as possible,” she said. “But at the same time, it can’t be with the price of, you know, giving up your country, basically.”
Kallas argued that this is precisely why efforts toward a reparations-based loan must continue, saying it would make Ukraine stronger and reinforce its ability to withstand pressure. She repeated that Ukraine is fighting for its homeland, its people and its civilians, and insisted that no government can be expected to accept a deal that benefits the aggressor.
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The Estonian PM added that Russia’s own peace proposals are driven not by strength but by financial strain and fear of looming reparations mechanisms. According to her, Russia is “running out of money” and attempting to project power even as its position weakens.
Throughout the briefing, Kallas maintained that pressure must remain squarely on Russia, not Ukraine. “We haven’t seen one single concession from Russian side, and they are the ones who have started this war, they are the ones who have invaded another country, they are the ones who are doing the killings of the civilians in Ukraine, and they can also stop this war immediately,” she said.
She argued that earlier peace attempts collapsed because Moscow failed to make any real commitments. Kallas also stressed that any peace plan must be supported by Ukraine and Europe, noting that “different peace plans cannot work if the Europeans and Ukrainians do not agree to this.”
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