Washington Unveils Peace Proposal as Moscow Warns Kyiv to Yield or Lose More Territory

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – A geopolitical storm of unprecedented magnitude has descended upon Kyiv as the war in Ukraine approaches its fourth grim winter, forcing President Volodymyr Zelensky into the most precarious position of his leadership. On Friday, November 21, 2025, the administration of United States President Donald Trump unveiled a sweeping draft proposal aimed at ending the conflict, a move that has triggered immediate ultimatums from the Kremlin and deep anxiety among European allies.

The convergence of external diplomatic pressure, a crumbling frontline, and a debilitating domestic corruption scandal has created a moment of existential peril for the Ukrainian state, as global powers maneuver to reshape the map of Eastern Europe.

The urgency of the situation was underscored by a stark warning issued by the Kremlin on Friday.

According to reports from Agence France-Presse (AFP), Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov delivered a thinly veiled threat to the Ukrainian leadership, advising President Zelensky to enter negotiations "now" or face the certain loss of further territory. Peskov asserted that the "effective work of the Russian armed forces" should serve as a convincing factor for Kyiv, warning that the window for decision-making is rapidly shrinking as the Russian army continues its offensive actions.

While Peskov claimed that Moscow had not officially received the American plan, his comments reflected a confidence buoyed by recent battlefield gains and the perception that Western resolve is shifting toward a settlement that favors Russian strategic interests.

At the center of this diplomatic whirlwind is a draft 28-point peace plan backed by President Trump, the details of which were reviewed by AFP and corroborated by reporting from The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times.

The proposal, crafted quietly over the past month by Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, represents a radical departure from previous Western positions.

The plan envisions a fundamental restructuring of the security architecture in Europe, requiring Kyiv to make painful territorial and political concessions in exchange for the cessation of hostilities. According to the draft, Ukraine would be required to enshrine neutrality in its constitution, explicitly renouncing any future ambition to join NATO—a demand that has been a core justification for Moscow’s invasion since February 2022.

The specific terms of the US proposal, as outlined in the draft documents, suggest a de facto recognition of Russian control over significant swathes of Ukrainian territory. The plan stipulates that Crimea, Luhansk, and Donetsk would be recognized as de facto Russian territories, including by the United States. Furthermore, the frontlines in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia would be frozen, cementing Russian presence along the line of contact.

In a move likely to cause outrage in Kyiv, the proposal mandates that Ukrainian forces withdraw from parts of the Donetsk region they currently control to create a buffer zone. In exchange for these concessions, the plan offers Ukraine a path to European Union membership with short-term preferential access to markets and a massive global reconstruction package funded in part by $100 billion in frozen Russian assets. However, the plan also offers significant carrots to Moscow, including reintegration into the global economy, relief from sanctions, and readmission to the G8 group of nations.

The reaction from Kyiv has been a mix of defiance and cautious diplomatic maneuvering. Rustem Umerov, Ukraine’s security council chief and top negotiator, declared on social media that Kyiv would not accept any deal that crosses its "red lines." Umerov emphasized that there could be no decisions made outside the framework of Ukraine’s sovereignty and the security of its people, stating firmly that these red lines would not be crossed "now or ever."

However, President Zelensky, facing the dual pressures of a weary nation and a shifting geopolitical landscape, adopted a slightly more nuanced tone. Following a meeting with US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, who was dispatched by the Trump administration to facilitate talks, Zelensky stated that Ukraine was ready to engage "constructively, honestly, and operationally" with the US proposal.

The New York Times reported that Zelensky and his team would begin working on the "points of the plan," though he stopped short of endorsing the specific concessions outlined in the draft.

The unveiling of the plan has sent shockwaves through European capitals, where officials expressed deep concern over a proposal that appears to have been negotiated over their heads.

The Wall Street Journal reported that European diplomats were dismayed by the lack of consultation, fearing that the plan represents a capitulation to Russian aggression. Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, voiced these concerns directly, stating that for any peace plan to work, it requires the genuine backing of both Ukraine and its European partners.

Kallas noted pointedly that while the plan demands heavy concessions from Ukraine, there appears to be little in the way of concessions from the Russian side. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot echoed these sentiments, warning against any outcome that resembles a Ukrainian capitulation after more than three years of heroic resistance.

The skepticism in Europe is compounded by the specific security arrangements proposed in the US plan. While the proposal promises "reliable security guarantees" for Ukraine, it also limits the size of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to 600,000 personnel and restricts the types of long-range weapons Kyiv can receive.

Furthermore, the plan explicitly states that if Ukraine were to invade Russia or launch missiles at Moscow or St. Petersburg without cause, these security guarantees would be immediately revoked. To enforce the agreement, the plan proposes the creation of a "Peace Council" headed by President Trump himself, a mechanism that European officials worry could marginalize established international institutions and leave Ukraine vulnerable to future shifts in American political will.

While the diplomatic battles rage in Washington and Brussels, President Zelensky is fighting for his political survival on the home front. The Associated Press provided a detailed analysis of the crushing domestic pressures facing the Ukrainian leader, noting that he is grappling with a "confluence of crises" that is testing his ability to lead.

Perhaps most damaging is a massive corruption scandal that has erupted in Kyiv, involving the embezzlement of $100 million from the energy sector. The scandal has implicated top officials and close associates of the president, including Tymur Mindich, a former business partner of Zelensky who has reportedly fled the country.

The revelations have sparked a rebellion within Zelensky’s own "Servant of the People" party, with lawmakers openly calling for the dismissal of Andrii Yermak, the president’s powerful chief of staff.

The political instability caused by the corruption scandal could not have come at a worse time. The Associated Press noted that while Zelensky’s hold on power is not imminently threatened due to martial law suspending elections, his political capital is rapidly eroding.

Critics argue that too much power has been concentrated in the hands of Yermak and his advisers, leading to a management style that is increasingly viewed as dysfunctional. This internal discord weakens Zelensky’s hand as he faces pressure from the US to accept the peace plan.

Analysts cited by the AP suggest that the timing of the US proposal was not accidental; both Washington and Moscow likely view Zelensky’s domestic vulnerability as an opportunity to force concessions that would have been unthinkable a year ago.

The situation on the battlefield remains equally dire. Russian forces, better equipped and adapting to the long war, have been making slow but steady advances across the 1,000-kilometer frontline. The AP reported that Russian troops are pushing hard on the cities of Kupiansk and Lyman in the northeast, reversing gains Ukraine made earlier in the war.

In the east, the fiercest battles are raging around the logistics hub of Pokrovsk. Simultaneously, a relentless Russian air campaign against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure has plunged the country into severe electricity shortages just as the cold weather sets in. On the very day the US peace plan was confirmed, a Russian missile strike on an apartment building in the western city of Ternopil killed at least 26 civilians and wounded 90 others, a brutal reminder of the war’s ongoing toll.

The 28-point plan attempts to address some of these immediate humanitarian and economic concerns. It calls for the creation of a humanitarian committee to resolve prisoner exchanges and the return of hostages, as well as a family reunification program.

Economically, it proposes a "powerful global package" to rebuild Ukraine, including the rehabilitation of war-affected areas and the resumption of mineral extraction, financed by a special package from the World Bank. 

It also outlines the restart of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), with the electricity produced to be distributed equally between Russia and Ukraine—a provision that effectively forces economic cooperation between the belligerents.

However, the path to implementing such a complex and controversial agreement is fraught with obstacles. The requirement for Ukraine to hold elections within 100 days of the agreement is particularly contentious given the devastated state of the country's infrastructure and the displacement of millions of its citizens.

Furthermore, the proposal for full amnesty for all parties involved in the conflict is likely to face fierce opposition from human rights organizations and victims of war crimes who have spent years documenting atrocities.

As the White House confirmed that President Trump’s envoys had been "quietly" working on this plan for a month, the reality of a shifting global order is settling in for Ukraine.

The "Peace Council" mechanism, the bypassing of European allies, and the stark territorial trade-offs indicate a move toward a transactional resolution to the war, prioritizing stability and economic reintegration over the complete restoration of Ukraine's 1991 borders. With the Kremlin sensing blood and demanding negotiations "now," and Washington leveraging its aid to push for a settlement, Zelensky finds himself in a tightening vice.

The coming days will be decisive. Zelensky has stated he expects to discuss the plan with President Trump shortly. Whether the Ukrainian president can navigate the perilous path between domestic revolt, Russian aggression, and American pressure will determine not just his own political fate, but the future existence of Ukraine as a sovereign state.

The proposed deal offers an end to the bloodshed, but at a price that many Ukrainians may find too high to pay, fundamentally altering the nation's borders and its geopolitical trajectory for decades to come.