Ukraine is preparing to present a revised peace plan to the White House, seeking alternatives to a U.S.-backed proposal that would require major territorial concessions to Russia.
The move follows President Volodymyr Zelensky’s renewed insistence that Ukraine has “no right” under its own constitution or international law to surrender land.
Zelensky made the statement during a diplomatic push in Europe on Monday, rallying NATO and EU leaders against a deal that allies fear would leave Ukraine vulnerable to future Russian aggression.
His tour came after days of intensive talks between U.S. and Ukrainian negotiators failed to yield an agreement Kyiv could accept.
Zelensky’s chief negotiator, Rustem Umerov, wrote on Telegram that he would brief the president on Monday about direct U.S.-Russia discussions, signaling Kyiv’s growing concern over being sidelined in backchannel diplomacy.
Meanwhile, Russian forces continued attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure, striking the city of Sumy with more than a dozen drones overnight and leaving the region without power. No casualties were reported.
The diplomatic standoff reflects a deepening divide between Kyiv’s demand for security and sovereignty and mounting U.S. pressure to accept territorial compromises—a gap Ukraine now aims to bridge with a new, sovereignty-focused proposal.
By James Kisoo
