KYIV: President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday acknowledged that Ukraine faces a “difficult choice” after U.S. President Donald Trump set a one-week deadline for Kyiv to accept a proposed peace plan that endorses several key Russian demands.
Trump confirmed that Washington had presented Kyiv with a 28-point framework requiring Ukraine to cede territory, limit the size of its armed forces and renounce any future bid to join NATO. Speaking to Fox News Radio, he said the coming days were critical and insisted that “Zelenskiy will have to approve the plan.”
Zelenskiy warned that Ukraine could risk “losing dignity or losing a major partner” if pressured into accepting terms previously described as a capitulation. The Ukrainian leader said he would defend “the dignity and freedom of Ukrainians” in any negotiations.
The Kremlin said the U.S. proposal could serve as a basis for further talks. Moscow maintains that its core territorial and security demands remain unchanged nearly four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion.
European governments, which were not consulted by Washington, are backing a Ukrainian counter-proposal being drafted with Britain, France, and Germany. EU officials said any settlement must not grant Russia concessions for invading a sovereign country.
