Zelensky Warns Ukraine Faces Historic Crossroads as Trump Presses for Rapid Peace Deal

By Staff, Agencies

Ukrainian President Zelensky said his country is confronting one of the most consequential moments in its modern history, as Us President Donald Trump pushes Kiev to accept within days a US-backed peace plan that would force it to give up territory to Russia and make sweeping concessions.

Trump confirmed on Friday that next Thursday — Thanksgiving in the US — would be an “acceptable” deadline for Zelensky to sign the agreement, which European and Ukrainian officials have described as a near “capitulation.”

In a somber address outside the presidential palace, Zelensky said Ukraine is facing an impossible choice: maintain its dignity and sovereignty, or risk losing a critical partner in a US administration seemingly determined to force an end to the war on Moscow’s terms. He warned that pressure on Ukraine “is now one of the heaviest,” with the alternatives being Trump’s 28-point plan or “an extremely difficult winter” after Russia destroyed large portions of the country’s energy grid, leaving millions without heat or electricity.

Zelensky said accepting the plan would leave Ukraine “without freedom, dignity, and justice,” and require trusting “someone who has already attacked us twice.” He pledged never to violate Ukraine’s constitution or sacrifice its national interests. “We did not betray Ukraine in 2022, and we will not do so now,” he said.

Speaking on Fox Radio, Trump said Thursday was an “appropriate time” for Ukraine to sign, adding he believed Kiev could not stop Russia from seizing the Donbas region by force. US officials signaled Trump is pursuing an “aggressive timeline” and is prepared to impose unprecedented pressure on Kiev, including threatening to cut intelligence sharing and weapons supplies.

A senior US official said it was “strongly implied” that the United States expects Ukraine to accept the peace terms, and that any changes would be “decided by the president himself.”

European leaders pushed back on Trump’s approach on Friday, and Ukrainian lawmakers denounced the plan as “absurd.” Trump reiterated that his good relationship with Vladimir Putin could have ended the war far earlier, adding: “It does take two to tango.” Referring to Zelensky, he said: “He’ll have to like it. And if he doesn’t like it, then they should just keep fighting.”

The proposed deal would require Ukraine to surrender the eastern Donbas region — including territories it currently controls — drastically reduce the size of its military, give up long-range weapons, and forego NATO membership. It also bars European peacekeepers.

Zelensky spoke for an hour with US Vice President JD Vance, who previously urged Kiev to make concessions to Russia. After the call, Zelensky said both sides reviewed “details of the American proposal,” and that Ukraine is seeking a “dignified and effective path to lasting peace.” Both countries directed their national security advisers to continue negotiating the draft text.

European leaders — including France’s Emmanuel Macron, Germany’s Friedrich Merz, and Britain’s Keir Starmer — called Zelensky to express support. They said any peace must be genuinely fair and reflect Ukraine’s red lines, stressing that territorial discussions should begin from the existing line of contact, in contrast to Trump’s plan, which requires abandoning major cities. Starmer called for a “just and lasting peace,” reiterating that Ukraine must determine its own future under its sovereignty.

G7 and G20 leaders are expected to discuss the proposal at the Johannesburg summit, which Trump will not attend. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned that rewarding an invasion would set a “very dangerous” global precedent, encouraging further aggression worldwide.

Zelensky honored Ukrainians enduring “almost four years of full-scale invasion,” and suggested that while the people desperately want the war to end, even “the strongest metal can break.” He said Kiev would work “calmly and constructively” with Washington, offering alternatives.

The plan was drafted by Kirill Dmitriev, Putin’s envoy, and Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special representative, during a meeting in Miami. Neither Europe nor Ukraine participated. Putin confirmed Moscow received a copy and said it could “lay the foundation” for ending the war — though Kremlin insiders said Russia still demands binding NATO guarantees and constitutional neutrality for Ukraine.

US officials claimed the proposal was shaped after consultations with Rustem Umerov, Kiev’s national security and defense council secretary, but he denied modifying anything and said Ukraine would not accept terms that undermine sovereignty.

Ukrainian civil society overwhelmingly rejected the proposal as one-sided and tantamount to surrender. The controversy grows as Zelensky faces domestic pressure over a corruption scandal involving his former business partner and multiple ministers.

Senior European analysts also criticized the plan. Constanze Stelzenmüller of the Brookings Institute called the process “appalling” and its substance “outrageous,” warning it would turn Russia into the “apex predator in Europe.” Nigel Farage likewise opposed the proposal, saying Ukraine reducing its army by half was “unacceptable.”

Meanwhile, US officials said military delegations led by Army Secretary Dan Driscoll met Zelensky in Kiev this week. Trump has appointed Driscoll — a close associate of Vance — as his newest “special representative.” American generals are expected to travel to Moscow next week to discuss the plan.

Zelensky said he is working to ensure Ukraine’s national interests are preserved and stressed that the country welcomes US diplomacy, but insists on “real peace that would not be broken by a third Russian invasion.”