Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that Kyiv may lose vital U.S. support if it refuses a contentious White House proposal to end the war with Russia, a plan he said could force Ukraine to choose between “losing dignity” or “losing a key partner.”
In a somber national address on Friday, Zelenskyy said Ukraine was entering “one of the most difficult moments in our history.” The U.S. peace plan, widely leaked in recent days, includes terms previously rejected by Kyiv: ceding eastern territories currently under Ukrainian control, sharply reducing the size of Ukraine’s armed forces, and pledging never to join NATO.
The provisions heavily favor Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday the proposal could serve as a “basis” for a settlement, though he noted the Kremlin had not yet discussed it in detail. He told his security cabinet that Russia would “show flexibility,” but insisted Moscow remained fully prepared to continue fighting.
Later, U.S. President Donald Trump said Zelenskyy would “have to like” the plan, arguing Ukraine and Russia would otherwise continue their devastating conflict.
Trump warned Ukraine could lose more territory “in a short amount of time” and said it was “appropriate” to give Kyiv until November 27, Thanksgiving Day, to accept the deal, though the deadline could be extended if “things were going well.”
Ukraine relies heavily on U.S. weapons, intelligence and air-defense systems to counter Russia’s full-scale invasion launched in 2022. The White House has intensified pressure on Kyiv, dispatching senior Pentagon officials to the Ukrainian capital this week.
In his 10-minute speech delivered outside the presidential office in Kyiv, Zelenskyy cautioned that Ukraine would face “a lot of pressure… to weaken us, to divide us,” and urged citizens to remain united. “The national interest must be taken into account,” he said, adding that Kyiv would quietly work with Washington and other allies to propose “alternatives” to the leaked draft.
Zelenskyy said he received reassurances of continued backing during a call with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Starmer later said the allies remained committed to securing “a just and lasting peace once and for all.”
Ahead of the G20 summit opening Saturday in South Africa, Starmer said leaders would discuss strengthening the proposal “in support of President Trump’s push for peace.”
Trump is not attending the summit, citing widely debunked claims that white people face persecution in South Africa.
Zelenskyy also held a lengthy call with U.S. Vice-President JD Vance and Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, saying Ukraine “always respected” Trump’s efforts to end the war.
The 28-point draft plan includes Ukrainian withdrawal from remaining parts of eastern Donetsk under Kyiv’s control, recognition of Russian authority over Donetsk, Luhansk and Crimea, and the freezing of front lines in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
It would cap Ukraine’s military at 600,000 personnel, allow European fighter jets to operate only from Poland, and offer unspecified “reliable security guarantees.”
The plan also envisions Russia’s reintegration into the global economy, including lifting sanctions and restoring Moscow to the G7, effectively reviving the G8.
The White House denied claims Ukraine was excluded from drafting the proposal. A U.S. official told CBS News that Kyiv’s top security official Rustem Umerov had agreed to most elements and made several modifications before presenting it to Zelenskyy.
But Ukrainians responded defiantly. In Kyiv, the widow of a fallen soldier told the BBC, “This is not a peace plan, it is a plan to continue the war.” A resident of Russian-occupied territory said, “I hope they will not sign this,” describing the psychological toll of “constant propaganda” suggesting Ukraine has abandoned them.
Russia currently occupies roughly 20% of Ukraine and has made incremental advances in southeastern regions despite high reported casualties.
As Zelenskyy faces the dual pressure of battlefield realities and a domestic corruption scandal involving $100 million, he warned that the coming weeks would test Ukraine’s resolve. “The enemy is not sleeping,” he said. “We must remain strong, united, and guided only by our national interest.”
Source: AL JAZEERA
Written By Rodney Mbua
