Donald Trump’s 28-point peace proposal has been condemned as Volodymyr Zelensky has been left with “one of the most difficult” choices in Ukraine’s history.
The plan has been criticised for heavily skewing in Russia’s favour, with one Republican US official, senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi, calling it a “so-called ‘peace plan’”.
“This so-called ‘peace plan’ has real problems, and I am highly skeptical it will achieve peace,” he said. “Ukraine should not be forced to give up its lands to one of the world’s most flagrant war criminals in Vladimir Putin.”
Meanwhile Zelensky has said he will not betray Ukraine as he offered to propose alternatives to Trump’s deal, which has received backing from Putin.
“This is one of the most difficult moments in our history,” the Ukrainian president said in a video address to the nation on Friday.
Zelensky will meet with allies at the G20 summit today to discuss a plan to end the war.
Sir Keir Starmer has condemned Russia as he said there “is only one country around the G20 table that is not calling for a ceasefire” as he criticised Moscow for sending nearly 1,000 drones and 54 precision guided missiles in the past week alone.
The prime minister said: “Ukraine has been ready to negotiate for months, while Russia has stalled and continued its murderous rampage.
“That is why we must all work together, with both the US and Ukraine, to secure a just and lasting peace once and for all.
“We will continue to co-ordinate closely with Washington and Kyiv to achieve that.”
Recap: Putin cautiously welcomes US proposal
Russian president Vladimir Putin on Friday cautiously welcomed the US proposal, saying it “could form the basis of a final peace settlement”.
But he said the plan had not been discussed with the Russian side “in any substantive way” and that he assumed this was because the US had not been able to get Ukraine’s consent.
Starmer to meet Ukraine allies in G20 summit
Sir Keir Starmer is set to meet Ukraine’s allies at the Johannesburg G20 summit today to seek to “strengthen” a US-drafted plan to end the war with Russia.
Washington reportedly pressed Kyiv to accept the agreement which would see the invaded country make major concessions including giving up territory and cutting the size of its army.
Western nations are scrambling to respond to the proposals that appeared to catch them off guard.
G7 leaders plus others from the G20 will discuss the deal on the sidelines of the South African meeting shunned by Donald Trump.
The 28-point plan is said to have been negotiated by the US president’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Kremlin representative Kirill Dmitriev, with Kyiv and European allies left out of the process.
Ahead of Saturday’s talks, Sir Keir said: “Ukraine’s friends and partners will meet in the margins of the G20 summit to discuss how we can secure a full ceasefire and create the space for meaningful peace negotiations.
“We will discuss the current proposal on the table, and in support of President Trump’s push for peace, look at how we can strengthen this plan for the next phase of negotiations.”
Comment: How Trump’s peace plan for Ukraine has been entirely dictated by Putin
The ‘deal’ being briefed out by Washington and Moscow is really just a blueprint for Russian conquest. Sam Kiley, world affairs editor, explains why it doesn’t have to be that way.
Read more here:
How Trump’s peace plan for Ukraine has been entirely dictated by Putin
Recap: Vance says it is ‘fantasy’ to think Ukraine could win against Russia with more US weapons or money
US vice president JD Vance said any plan to end Russia’s war in Ukraine should preserve Ukrainian sovereignty and be acceptable to both countries but that it was a “fantasy” to think Ukraine could win if the US just gave Kyiv more money or weapons or imposed more Russian sanctions.
Trump’s patience remains a question
The Trump proposal was formally presented to Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Thursday by Dan Driscoll, the US Army secretary.
The plan itself was a surprise to Driscoll’s staffers, who were not aware as late as Wednesday that their boss would be going to Ukraine as part of a team to present the plan to the Ukrainians.
Army officials walked away from that meeting with the impression that the Ukrainians were viewing the proposal as a starting point that would evolve as negotiations progressed, according to a US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive talks.
It’s unclear how much patience Trump has for further negotiation. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday that Trump’s new plan reflects “the realities of the situation” and offers the “best win-win scenario, where both parties gain more than they must give”.
Asked about Zelensky’s initial hesitant response to the proposal, Trump recalled the February Oval Office blow-up with Zelensky: “You remember, right in the Oval Office, not so long ago, I said, ‘You don’t have the cards.”
Ukraine examines the proposals
Ukrainian officials said they were weighing the US proposals, and Volodymyr Zelensky said he expected to talk to US president Donald Trump about it in coming days.
A US team began drawing up the plan soon after US special envoy Steve Witkoff held talks with Rustem Umerov, a top adviser to Zelensky, according to a senior Trump administration official who was not authorised to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The official added that Umerov agreed to most of the plan, after making several modifications, and then presented it to Zelensky.
However, Umerov on Friday denied that version of events.
He said he only organised meetings and prepared the talks.He said technical talks between the US and Ukraine were continuing in Kyiv.
“We are thoughtfully processing the partners’ proposals within the framework of Ukraine’s unchanging principles – sovereignty, people’s security, and a just peace,” he said.
Two people killed in Ukraine drone attack on energy facilities in Russia’s Samara region, governor says
A Ukrainian drone attack targeted energy facilities in Russia’s Samara region, killing two people in the southern city of Syzran, the region’s governor said on Saturday.
The attack was repelled by air defence forces, Vyacheslav Fedorishchev wrote on Russia’s state-backed Max messenger app.
Two more people were injured and were receiving medical care, the governor said.
