US and Ukraine Scramble Over Explosive Peace Plan
The battle for a Ukraine peace deal heats up as Washington and Kyiv hammer out a risky 20-point blueprint. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed talks are underway to end the brutal conflict with Russia. Meanwhile, former US President Donald Trump has dropped a shocking Christmas deadline for Ukraine to sign on the dotted line.
Trump Throws Down Ultimatum: “Ukraine Has Until Christmas”
Donald Trump warned bluntly that if Ukraine refuses the deal, it will “eventually succumb to Moscow’s military might.” His peace envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, fresh from secret Moscow talks with Vladimir Putin, are pushing Kyiv hard to accept tough terms — including potential territorial concessions to Russia.
“Russia has the upper hand, and they always did,” Trump told Politico. “They’re much bigger. They’re much stronger. I give the people of Ukraine tremendous credit for their bravery, but size usually wins.”
He criticised Europe as “weak” for failing to secure peace sooner and slammed Kyiv for exploiting the war to dodge elections.
Zelensky Fights Back with Own Peace Push and EU Support
Not backing down, Zelensky says he’s working with European allies to shape a fairer peace plan — one that won’t leave Ukraine at Moscow’s mercy. He even floated holding elections within 60-90 days, but only if Western powers guarantee security amid ongoing fighting and martial law.
During a high-stakes tour of London, Brussels, and Rome, Zelensky rallied support from leaders like Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron, and Friedrich Merz to resist US pressure for a deal skewed towards Russia.
Peace Plan Eases Russia Terms but Tensions Remain
The original US draft was slammed as pro-Russian, demanding Ukraine cede the entire Donbas, cut its military by a third, and ban foreign troops under vague conditions. Zelensky’s team pushed back hard, trimming the deal to 20 points and scrapping “obvious anti-Ukrainian” clauses.
- 20-point peace framework
- Security guarantees for Ukraine
- Post-war recovery plan
The revised draft heads back to Washington this Wednesday.
Kremlin Cheers Trump, Hails Draft as “In Line” with Russia
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov praised Trump’s stance, saying it “aligns with Russia’s view” on NATO, territorial losses, and Ukraine’s fate. “We will see how events unfold,” he said cryptically.
Zelensky remains cautious but clear: “We want to be in NATO. It’s fair. But neither the US nor some others see Ukraine joining at this time.”
Trump joked sarcastically, “NATO calls me daddy,” mocking the alliance’s failure to act swiftly while the war drags on.
