Trump’s peace plan for Ukraine: deadline for Kyiv until Thursday, and Putin comments
Events in the Ukrainian crisis accelerated after U.S. President Donald Trump announced Thursday as the deadline for Kyiv to respond to his plan.
As European leaders convene to discuss the American proposal, Russia announced it had received the draft, and Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that it could serve as a basis for resolving the conflict. Trump said on Friday that he believed next Thursday was the appropriate deadline for Ukraine to accept the peace proposal.
In a radio interview, he said: “I have many deadlines, but if things go well, it is natural to extend them. However, we believe Thursday is the right time.”
Meanwhile, the Russian president announced that Moscow had received the U.S. peace proposals for Ukraine and that the plan could form the basis for a peaceful settlement of the conflict.
Putin added, during a government meeting broadcast on Russian channels, that the U.S. plan “could form the basis for a final peaceful settlement, but it is not being discussed with us in concrete terms.”
He continued: “We are ready to engage in peaceful negotiations and resolve issues through peaceful means. This naturally requires an in-depth discussion of all the details of the proposed plan, and we are prepared for that.”
Putin explained that the plan, made up of twenty-eight points and viewed with concern in Kyiv, had been discussed in general terms between Moscow and Washington. He said the Americans had asked Russia “to make certain concessions and show flexibility.”
He added: “Ukraine and its European allies continue to deceive themselves and dream of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia on the battlefield,” stressing that Moscow is ready, if the plan is rejected, to achieve its goals “through force, within the framework of armed struggle.”
The Russian president warned: “If Kyiv refuses to discuss President Trump’s proposals, the events that took place in Kupiansk will inevitably be repeated in other key sectors of the front.”
The Russian army announced Thursday that it had taken control of the city of Kupiansk in eastern Ukraine, where Ukrainian forces, fewer in number and less well armed, are struggling.
Putin’s statements come as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa announced that EU leaders would meet on Saturday, on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Johannesburg, to discuss the situation in Ukraine.
On the platform X, they added: “We spoke with President Zelensky. We discussed the current situation, and it is clear that nothing concerning Ukraine should occur without Kyiv’s approval.”
Zelensky, for his part, called on the Ukrainian people to unite on Friday, stressing that he would not compromise Kyiv’s interests after the United States presented Ukraine with a peace plan that supports Russia’s main demands.
In a speech delivered in front of his office, a location he rarely uses for important addresses, he said that Ukraine was working to preserve its freedom while ensuring continued support from its most important allies.
He added: “We are going through one of the most difficult moments in our history. The pressure on Ukraine is at its peak. The country may face an extremely difficult choice: either losing its dignity or risking the loss of a key partner.”
He continued: “I will do everything in my power, day and night, to ensure that at least two points are not overlooked in the plan: the dignity of Ukrainians and their freedom.”
Washington has presented Ukraine with a twenty-eight-point plan adopting some of Russia’s main wartime demands, including surrendering additional territory, reducing the size of the Ukrainian army, and preventing Ukraine from joining NATO.
Two informed sources told Reuters that Washington had given Ukraine one week to accept the framework of the plan.
The two sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Washington had threatened to halt intelligence sharing and weapons supplies if Ukraine refused the agreement. The White House has not yet responded to a request for comment.
A delegation of senior U.S. military officials met Zelensky in Kyiv on Thursday. The U.S. ambassador to Ukraine and a military official who was part of the delegation described the meeting as successful, saying Washington aimed to impose a “strict timetable” for signing a document between the United States and Ukraine.
Zelensky later held a phone call with leaders of Ukraine’s allied countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and also with U.S. Vice President J. D. Vance. He appeared cautious not to reject the American plan or speak negatively about the United States.
He said: “We appreciate the efforts of the United States, President Trump, and his team to end this war. We are working on the document prepared by the American side. This plan must guarantee real and dignified peace.”
