Europe Ukraine under pressure - US peace plan also a topic at G20
The Ukrainian leadership does not want to simply accept the US peace plan to end the Russian war of aggression and is now putting forward its own proposals for a solution to the conflict.
22.11.2025, 04:20
SDA
President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the initiative to end the war. However, in view of US President Donald Trump's 28-point plan, which demands major concessions from Ukraine and comparatively minor ones from Russia, he sees his country under considerable pressure and facing a difficult choice.
Selensky held talks with the EU leadership, which intends to discuss Trump's plan and possible counter-proposals on the fringes of the G20 summit of leading industrialized nations and emerging economies. The US President has given the Ukrainians until Thursday to decide in principle in favor of the plan. Critics classify the draft agreement as a de facto declaration of surrender due to the tough conditions for Kiev - no NATO membership, permanent cession of territories to Russia, reduction of the army and other maximum demands from Moscow.
Selensky spoke of one of the "most difficult moments" in Ukraine's history. It was faced with the decision of either losing its dignity or the USA as a key partner. Without the support of the largest military power, which sells weapons to Ukraine and provides data for the war against Russia, it would be much more difficult to continue the defensive fight against the invaders.
Trump: "We have a way"
Speaking to journalists in the White House, Trump said that Zelensky would have to approve the plan. However, he could not predict whether the Ukrainian would do so. If Zelenskyi did not want the plan, he would just have to keep fighting. And: at some point he will have to accept something. "We have a way to achieve peace, or: we think we have a way to achieve peace," said Trump.
When asked whether he had spoken to Zelensky himself, Trump simply replied that he had spoken to his people - without being more specific. The US President also recalled that he had already told Zelenskyi during his visit to the Oval Office in February that he had no good cards in this matter.
Crisis talks on the sidelines of the G20 summit
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) and other leading European heads of state and government will meet in South Africa on the sidelines of the summit in Johannesburg for crisis talks on the US move. This was announced by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Council President António Costa following talks with Selenskyj.
Merz spoke with Trump about the US peace plan for Ukraine for the first time on Friday. Government spokesman Stefan Kornelius said afterwards that the phone call was "trusting and binding" and that "next steps" in the coordination process at advisor level had been agreed. Merz will inform the European partners about this.
According to EU officials, the heads of state and government of France, Italy and the UK will take part in this Saturday's meeting alongside Merz and the EU leaders. Ireland, Finland, the Netherlands, Spain and Norway, which are attending the summit this year as guest countries, have also been invited.
The Europeans were surprised by Trump's initiative. According to information from German government circles, they are now working on their own mediation paper, which is still being coordinated.
Selensky wants a "fully coordinated plan"
Commenting on the talks with von der Leyen and Costa, Zelensky said that he had informed both of them about the US side's proposals for an end to the war and about contacts with partners in Europe and the USA. "We all appreciate America's and President Trump's commitment to ending the war, and we are working together to ensure that this becomes a unified and fully coordinated plan," he added.
Von der Leyen and Costa emphasized after the meeting that they agreed that nothing should be decided without Ukraine. Ukraine is dependent on the EU to finance its defensive campaign against Russia.
The USA's new 28-point plan includes the recognition of the Ukrainian territories of Donetsk and Luhansk, which were annexed by Russia, as well as the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, which was annexed in 2014, as de facto Russian. To this end, Ukraine is to constitutionally renounce its long-standing aspiration to join NATO, limit the size of its army to 600,000 troops and remain free of nuclear weapons. In return, undefined security guarantees are promised, but no details are provided.
One of the few concessions that the plan provides for Moscow is that Russian state assets frozen in the EU are to be used for the reconstruction of Ukraine.
"Propaganda fabricated by Russia"
Even within Trump's party, the draft agreement has been heavily criticized. "This Russian-made propaganda must be rejected and discarded for what it is: dubious nonsense," wrote Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick on X. In the view of Senator Roger Wicker, who sits on the Defense Committee, "this so-called "peace plan" has real problems, and I am highly skeptical that it will achieve peace". And the long-time leader of the Republicans in the US Senate, Mitch McConnell, warned: "Rewarding Russia's carnage would be disastrous for America's interests."
Putin declares willingness to negotiate
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his openness to negotiations and described Trump's plan as a possible basis for a peaceful solution. At a meeting of the National Security Council, Putin said that it was an updated version of what had already been discussed in the past, for example at his meeting with Trump in Alaska in August. In Alaska, the Americans had asked Russia for a willingness to compromise and flexibility.
The new Trump plan had not been discussed with the Russian side, said the Kremlin leader, whose advisor Kirill Dmitriev had recently been in the USA for repeated talks and had met there with Trump's special representative Steve Witkoff. Putin had also received Witkoff as a guest in Moscow on several occasions. The Russian emphasized that the points in the plan that has now been presented still need to be discussed in detail.
Doubts about Selensky's approval
At the same time, the Kremlin leader once again expressed doubts that Zelensky would agree to the proposals. "Ukraine is against it," he said. Apparently, Ukraine and its European allies are still dreaming of being able to defeat Russia on the battlefield. The Europeans are incompetent and have no real information about the situation on the battlefield.
"Overall, that suits us," said Putin about Kiev's line. Russia would also achieve its goals militarily, but less quickly. At a meeting with the military leadership on Thursday, Putin had already emphasized that he would not abandon his war aims - but that he was still prepared to achieve these aims through peaceful negotiations. Putin has been waging his war against the neighboring country for more than three and a half years.
