U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington’s draft proposal to end the Russia-Ukraine war “is not the final plan,” responding to criticism after Ukraine and its allies raised serious concerns over the document.
The draft outlines 28 proposals, including requiring Ukrainian forces to withdraw from areas they control in eastern Donetsk, recognizing Russia’s control over Luhansk and Crimea, and freezing the current front lines in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. It also calls for limiting Ukraine’s military to 600,000 personnel, and proposes that Russia could eventually see sanctions lifted and return to the G8. Multiple countries have questioned the draft as being overly favorable to Russia.
At the G20 summit in South Africa, leaders from Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom and several European nations issued a joint statement saying the proposal “contains elements of peace but requires more work,” while stressing that borders cannot be changed by force. They also warned that restricting Ukraine’s military size would weaken its self-defense capability and increase vulnerability to future attacks.
After separate calls with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Trump, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was concerned about the clause limiting Ukraine’s armed forces, emphasizing that Ukraine must retain basic defense capabilities after a ceasefire. The UK will send National Security Adviser Tim Barrow to a five-nation security officials’ meeting in Geneva on the 24th, which will also be attended by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Keith Whitaker.
Zelensky described the situation as “one of the most difficult moments in our history,” saying Ukraine faces a painful choice “between losing dignity or losing key allies.” He said Ukraine will participate constructively in negotiations but reiterated that Kyiv will not accept any proposal that undermines its sovereignty and security. The Ukrainian negotiating team is led by presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said the draft could serve as a basis for talks, claiming he is willing to “show flexibility,” but stated that Russia is prepared to continue fighting. During the discussions, Russian forces launched a large-scale drone attack on Kharkiv, killing at least four people.
The U.S. had previously asked Ukraine to respond to the draft by November 27, but Trump now says the request is not a “final proposal.” Five nations are expected to revisit the draft during the Geneva meeting, seeking revisions acceptable to all parties.