Ukraine and European Allies Search for Alternatives to Controversial US Peace Plan

President Volodymyr Zelensky has firmly opposed the 28-point US plan presented for ending the conflict.

Ukraine and European allies are urgently developing alternative proposals after US President Donald Trump established a tight deadline for Kyiv to accept a peace deal that appears to favor several of Russia's key demands.

The 28-point US proposal, which President Zelensky has pushed back against, would require Ukraine to surrender territory, reduce its military forces, and permanently abandon NATO membership aspirations. Russian President Putin has expressed support for the plan.

On Saturday, a high-level meeting took place between French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on the sidelines of the G20 summit in South Africa, according to the French presidency. This discussion preceded a broader meeting with additional European leaders on the same critical issue.

Prime Minister Starmer indicated their goal was to "look at how we can strengthen this plan for the next phase of negotiations."

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized the principle that "there should be nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine."

US Vice President JD Vance responded to criticisms of the proposal, suggesting they either "misunderstand the framework or misstate some critical reality on the ground." He added, "There is a fantasy that if we just give more money, more weapons, or more sanctions, victory is at hand."

In an address to his nation, President Zelensky described this as one of the most challenging moments in Ukraine's history and announced his intention to present alternative solutions to Trump's proposal.

A senior Ukrainian official revealed Saturday that Kyiv would initiate talks with the United States in Switzerland to discuss potential paths to end the war, with Zelensky's top aide Andriy Yermak leading the Ukrainian delegation.

On the battlefield, Russia's better-equipped and numerically superior forces continue to make slow but steady advances along the extensive front line.

Ukrainians are simultaneously facing what could be one of the harshest winters since the conflict began, as Moscow conducts a systematic bombing campaign targeting energy infrastructure.

This crisis is compounded by a major corruption investigation uncovering graft in Ukraine's energy sector, triggering public outrage in Kyiv.

President Trump has given Ukraine less than a week to sign the agreement. Zelensky has promised to work toward ensuring any deal would not "betray" Ukraine's interests, while acknowledging the risk of losing Washington's crucial support.

Under a draft of the plan viewed by AFP, Russia would gain territory, be reintegrated into the global economy, and rejoin what would become the G8 once more.

Putin stated the blueprint could "lay the foundation" for a final peace settlement but threatened further territorial seizures if Ukraine rejected negotiations.

"Ukraine and its European allies are still living under illusions and dreaming of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia on the battlefield," Putin declared during a televised security council meeting.

Should Kyiv walk away, Russia claimed its recent capture of the Ukrainian city of Kupiansk "will inevitably be repeated in other key areas of the front line," according to Putin.

The Ukrainian military denies Russia has recaptured Kupiansk, which Kyiv initially lost to Moscow at the start of the 2022 invasion before later reclaiming it.

Trump identified November 27 – America's Thanksgiving holiday – as an "appropriate time" for Zelensky to agree to a deal, though he indicated some flexibility in this deadline.

"He'll have to like it, and if he doesn't like it, then you know, they should just keep fighting," Trump told reporters. "At some point, he's going to have to accept something."

Earlier this week, Russia conducted one of its deadliest attacks this year and among the worst on western Ukraine since the invasion began. Thirty-two people perished in the western city of Ternopil when cruise missiles struck apartment buildings.

The US peace plan proposes recognizing territories under Moscow's control as "de facto" Russian, requiring Kyiv to withdraw forces from parts of the Donetsk region. Ukraine would also need to limit its army to 600,000 personnel, abandon NATO membership aspirations, and prohibit NATO troops on its soil.

In exchange, Ukraine would receive unspecified "reliable security guarantees" and a reconstruction fund utilizing some Russian assets currently frozen in foreign accounts.

"The pressure on Ukraine is one of the hardest. Ukraine may face a very difficult choice: either the loss of dignity or the risk of losing a key partner," Zelensky stated in his address.