Trump approves 28-point plan to end war in Ukraine, alarming allies
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US allies and Ukrainian officials were scrambling to understand the terms of a Trump peace proposal for Ukraine, with many worrying it meant the US could cave to Russian demands.
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US President Donald Trump, left, greets Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, on October 17, 2025, in Washington (AP)
US President Donald Trump approved a 28-point plan aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, a senior US official told NBC News. The plan reportedly focuses on providing security guarantees for both sides to secure a lasting peace, while incorporating measures Ukraine would require for a durable settlement.
“The plan focuses on giving both sides security guarantees to secure a lasting peace,” the official said.
“It includes things Ukraine wants and needs to have a durable peace,” the source explained.
Details remain under negotiation with the parties involved, and three US officials confirmed the framework has not yet been formally presented to Kiev.
Allies scramble to understand
As soon as the reports of a new US plan for an end to the war in Ukraine came out, US allies and Ukrainian officials scrambled to understand its terms, with many worrying it meant the US could cave to Russian demands, Politico reported.
As European and US officials alike sought clarity, they said many aspects of the plan remained in flux, including the role of NATO and any Ukrainian territorial concessions to Russia.
US delegation in Kiev
Amid these reports, a US Army delegation led by Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll traveled to Kiev on Wednesday to discuss military strategy and technology and to support the administration’s push to restart the peace process, according to two US officials, a European official, and a source close to the Ukrainian government.
A US official described the visit as part of a broader White House effort to “restart peace negotiations.”
On the other hand, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters there were “no such plans” for Driscoll to meet Russian officials.
Sources close to the Ukrainian government noted that Kiev had no role in shaping the US plan. Ukrainian officials were informed of its broad contours but were not consulted on details. They also suggested the timing may be politically motivated, coinciding with a corruption scandal affecting President Volodymyr Zelensky’s administration.
Russia, meanwhile, has denied receiving any official information on US proposals regarding Ukraine. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova that reports of “agreements” on Ukraine were unfounded.
Land, military concessions proposed
According to Reuters, the US plan reportedly calls for Kiev to cede territory and reduce its armed forces in exchange for security guarantees. Such measures, if implemented, would mark a significant setback for Ukraine amid ongoing Russian advances in eastern regions and a domestic political crisis.
Zelensky, speaking after talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, emphasized the importance of strong US leadership in achieving peace.
“The main thing for stopping the bloodshed and achieving lasting peace is that we work in coordination with all our partners and that American leadership remains effective, strong,” he said.
Zelenskiy added that only Washington and Trump “have sufficient strength for the war to finally come to an end.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stressed that ending the conflict would require “both sides to agree to difficult but necessary concessions” and that the administration would continue to develop ideas based on input from both Moscow and Kiev.
Read more: Ukraine MPs push for sweeping dismissals amid energy corruption probe
Moscow’s position is unchanged
Despite renewed US efforts, Moscow has not signaled any shift in its conditions for ending the war, including demands that Ukraine renounce NATO membership and withdraw from four Russian-claimed provinces. Reports from Axios suggest the plan envisions Ukraine granting Moscow control over parts of eastern Ukraine it does not currently occupy, in exchange for US security guarantees.
Russian forces continue to hold roughly 19% of former Ukrainian territory.
EU demands involvement
The European Union (EU) has urged Washington to ensure Kiev and Europe are fully engaged in any peace plan.
“For any plan to work, it needs Ukrainians and Europeans on board,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told reporters in Brussels on Thursday.
“We have to understand that in this war, there is one aggressor and one victim,” she said, adding, “So we haven't heard of any concessions on the Russian side.”
The US delegation in Kiev, including Army Chief of Staff General Randy George, is scheduled to meet with Zelensky on Thursday, part of what the US embassy described as a “fact-finding mission” ahead of potential negotiations.
Read more: Germany says was not briefed on reported US peace plan for Ukraine
