Ukraine has submitted a newly revised proposal to Washington outlining its vision for ending Russia’s invasion, senior Ukrainian officials confirmed to AFP yesterday. The update comes at a critical moment, as US President Donald Trump publicly criticized European leaders in one of the clearest signs yet of widening tensions between Washington and its allies.
The initial US proposal—which suggested Ukraine surrender territory not yet taken by Russian forces—was flatly rejected by Kyiv and key European partners, who viewed it as conceding far too much to Moscow’s demands. In response, Ukraine drafted a revised plan.
A Ukrainian official, who is familiar with the updated document, said the new version “takes into account Ukraine’s vision—it is a further proposal for adequate solutions to problematic issues.” The official emphasized that details remain undisclosed until the US responds.
Despite the diplomatic caution, Trump has grown increasingly impatient. He has been pressuring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to accept a US-backed plan, while also voicing frustration with European leaders in France, the United Kingdom, and Germany.
Tensions escalated in recent days after Trump described Europe as “decaying” and “weak” on immigration and Ukraine. This followed a new US national security strategy warning that Europe risked “civilisational erasure.”
Speaking to reporters, Trump said his recent call with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz included “pretty strong words” regarding Ukraine.
Earlier this week, Europe attempted to show a united front in supporting Zelensky, while expressing doubts about key sections of Washington’s latest proposal. Still, Trump warned that European efforts to organize another round of talks risked “wasting time.”
“Before we go to a meeting, we want to know some things,” he said. “We don’t want to be wasting time.”
A Delicate Moment for Ukraine
US–Russia talks in the Kremlin last week produced no breakthrough, adding pressure on all sides. The stakes are particularly high for Zelensky, who faces military setbacks in the eastern Donbas region and a corruption scandal involving several close allies.
Zelensky revealed on Tuesday that the peace plan has been divided into three separate documents:
– A 20-point framework agreement
– A paper on security guarantees
– A paper detailing Ukraine’s post-war recovery
He also held an online meeting with Jared Kushner, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and BlackRock CEO Larry Fink to discuss Ukraine’s reconstruction. Zelensky described it as the “first meeting of the group” tasked with shaping Ukraine’s economic recovery plan.
Still, the uncertainty surrounding US commitment looms large. Trump, who once claimed he could end the conflict “within 24 hours” if elected, again hinted he may withdraw the US from the issue entirely.
“Sometimes you have to let people fight it out and sometimes you don’t,” Trump remarked. “But the problem with letting people fight it out is you’re losing thousands of people a week. It’s ridiculous. The whole thing is ridiculous.”
