Germany Selenskyj receives US peace plan - criticism in EU
According to his office, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has officially received a plan drawn up in the USA for a peace solution in the war with Russia. According to media reports, he met with a US delegation in Kiev.
20.11.2025, 20:56
SDA
"As a result of today's meeting, we agreed to work on the points of the plan in a way that leads to a dignified end to the war," the president's office announced on Telegram. Ukraine has been striving for peace since the beginning of the war and will support any substantive proposal that brings "real peace" closer.
Selensky wants to speak to Trump on the phone soon
Kiev has supported US President Donald Trump's proposals since the beginning of the year. "We are also now ready to work constructively with the American side and our partners in Europe and the world to achieve peace as a result," it said. Selenskyj also hopes to meet with Trump soon to discuss the main points. No details of the plan were given.
The day before, media in the USA and the UK had reported that Washington had drawn up a plan, allegedly comprising 28 points, for an end to the Russian-Ukrainian war, which has been ongoing since February 2022. The content of this plan is said to be based primarily on Russian positions. A rejection by Kiev is therefore considered likely.
EU calls for participation in negotiations
Following these reports, the EU called for participation in negotiations. "For any plan to work, Ukraine and the Europeans need to be on board," said EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas in Brussels. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (CDU) also called for the involvement of the EU and Ukraine. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had previously stated that a "list of possible ideas" was being worked on. He did not confirm that there was a finished plan.
Rubio called on both warring parties to make concessions for a solution to the conflict. "Ending a complex and deadly war like the one in Ukraine requires a comprehensive exchange of serious and realistic ideas," Rubio wrote in his personal X account.
A lasting peace requires both sides - meaning Russia and Ukraine - to agree to "difficult but necessary concessions," Rubio wrote in the post, which he did not publish on the administration's official accounts. "That is why we are currently developing a list of possible ideas to end this war based on input from both sides of the conflict, and will continue to develop that list."
Criticism of Russian maximum demands
There has been criticism of individual points in the alleged plan, parts of which have so far only been reported in the media. There is criticism of the dominance of the Russian maximum demands to date.
Head of the Chancellery Thorsten Frei (CDU) warned that Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin "could use it to achieve war aims that he has not achieved on the battlefield". "And that would certainly be an outcome that would not be acceptable," Frei said on RTL/ntv's "Frühstart" program.
According to media reports, Ukraine is to cede territories to Russia - in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions - that Moscow does not yet fully control militarily. The Ukrainian government has so far categorically rejected this. The EU has also repeatedly pointed out that it will not accept any forcible shifting of borders. According to reports on the alleged peace plan, Ukraine is to receive security guarantees in return - as protection against future Russian aggression.
Wadephul: Ukraine must preserve its sovereignty
"We can all see that Russia is arming itself to such an extent that we in Europe must justifiably ask ourselves for what purpose this is happening," said Foreign Minister Wadephul in Brussels ahead of the meeting of EU foreign ministers. "It must be clear that Ukraine can maintain its sovereignty, to whatever territorial extent."
The British government stated that only Ukraine itself could decide its future. At the same time, London shares US President Trump's desire to end "the barbaric war", said a government spokesperson. In the meantime, the UK is also supporting Ukraine militarily.
Ukraine feels under pressure
Trump had repeatedly called on Russia and Ukraine to end the fighting and also criticized both warring parties. Now the Ukrainian president in particular is once again under pressure - not only because of the advance of Russian troops in the east of the country, but also because of a corruption scandal that extends into the government of the country, which is striving to join the EU.
The US representatives are exerting pressure on Zelenskyi to agree to the peace plan drawn up by the USA and Russia, reported the news portal "RBK-Ukraina", citing an unnamed source. The plan also envisages Ukraine renouncing NATO membership, accepting an amnesty for war criminals and Russia's return to the global economy. Ukraine's aim to date, on the other hand, has been to put Russia under increasing pressure with sanctions in addition to military pressure through Western arms aid, so that it is no longer in an economic position to continue the war in future.
Kremlin: No Russian-American consultations
In response to the reports on Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, as he had the day before, that there was nothing new. Russia is therefore sticking to its previous demands, which Putin also set out at the meeting with Trump in Anchorage, Alaska, in August. Although there are still contacts between Moscow and Washington, there are currently no Russian-American consultations on Ukraine, Peskov told the Interfax news agency. Russia has long welcomed Trump's commitment to ending the war in Ukraine.
