A sweeping 28-point peace plan backed by U.S. President Donald Trump would see Ukraine cede large swaths of territory to Russia, slash its military, and abandon NATO ambitions, according to a draft obtained by Agence France-Presse (AFP).
The plan, described by U.S. officials as a “working document,” proposes measures that align closely with Moscow’s maximalist demands while offering Kyiv limited security guarantees, sparking concern among European allies.
Under the proposal, Ukraine would withdraw from the Donbas regions of Lugansk and Donetsk, areas at the heart of Russia’s 2022 invasion, and recognize Crimea as “de facto Russian,” a status the U.S. would also acknowledge.
Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, regions occupied by Russia, would remain “frozen along the line of contact.” In total, Russian forces control roughly a fifth of Ukraine’s territory.
Kyiv would also cut its army to 600,000 troops and forgo European-led peacekeepers, though European fighter jets would be stationed in Poland to offer indirect protection.
NATO troops would be prohibited from entering Ukraine, and the country would constitutionally renounce membership in the alliance.
Ukraine would be required to hold elections within 100 days, fulfilling a controversial demand cited by Trump earlier this year when he criticized President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a “dictator without elections.”
In return, Russia would be reintegrated into the global economy, have sanctions lifted in phases, and be readmitted to the G-8, from which it was expelled in 2014 following the annexation of Crimea.
The plan stipulates only that Russia “is expected not to invade neighboring countries,” placing few real restrictions on Moscow’s military.
Zelenskyy has said he will discuss the proposal with Trump in the coming days but insisted any deal must deliver a “dignified peace” respecting Ukrainian sovereignty.
Kyiv’s office confirmed talks with a U.S. delegation led by Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll are ongoing and said both sides will work constructively to refine the plan.
“This plan was drawn up immediately following discussions with one of the most senior members of President Zelenskyy’s administration, Rustem Umerov, who agreed to most points and presented it to the president,” a senior U.S. official said.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized that Trump supports the plan and described it as a “win-win scenario” designed to balance concessions with security guarantees.
The plan has already sparked criticism in Europe.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said, “Peace cannot be a capitulation,” underscoring that Kyiv’s allies are unlikely to accept sweeping territorial concessions.
U.S. officials denied claims that Moscow helped draft the plan, noting that Envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio had been quietly engaging with both sides for the past month.
The timing of the proposal comes amid internal turmoil in Kyiv.
Parliament recently dismissed two ministers in a corruption scandal, while on the battlefield, Russian forces continue a slow advance, claiming – though Kyiv denies – control over key eastern cities including Kupiansk and Pokrovsk.
The winter months loom, with Russian strikes targeting Ukrainian energy supplies and urban centers.
Trump’s plan would also establish a “peace council” under his oversight to supervise any cease-fire, similar to proposals for a Gaza truce.
Despite the wide-ranging concessions, Ukrainian officials have indicated they are ready for “constructive, honest and prompt work” on the plan, signaling a willingness to explore diplomatic options even as European allies push back against what they see as punitive terms.
