Trump Team Races to Push Gaza-Style Ukraine Peace Plan as Europe Expresses Concern

Senior Trump administration officials are working quickly on a new 28-point framework to revive peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, drawing heavily on the Gaza ceasefire architecture the president promoted. Multiple sources say the effort advanced with limited early consultation with Ukrainian leaders and many European partners, prompting concern in allied capitals.

The draft reportedly includes territorial adjustments for areas not currently occupied by Russian forces, limits on the size of Ukraine’s armed forces, and a constitutional pledge that Ukraine will not seek NATO membership. Officials say the document mirrors elements of the Gaza arrangement — including oversight by a Peace Council associated with the president — and incorporates some positions long advanced by Moscow, which Kyiv has previously rejected.

Who’s involved

Key figures linked to the initiative include President Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff, who has been in contact with Russian Special Envoy Kirill Dmitriev, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has publicly described the administration's effort as a continuing development of possible ideas rather than a final offer. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Witkoff and Rubio have been quietly working on the plan for several weeks and said the administration is taking cues from its Gaza playbook.

European and Ukrainian response

Reports that the draft was shaped largely through discussions with Russian representatives alarmed some European diplomats, who emphasized that Kyiv must be a central participant in any legitimate negotiations. One Brussels-based diplomat summarized the mood:

Yesterday nerves were up; today nerves are down — Rubio’s public comments helped calm immediate fears that a finished deal was being forced on Ukraine.

The draft was presented to Ukrainian officials during a trip to Kyiv by Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll. Ukraine’s presidential office acknowledged receipt of a plan from the United States and said Kyiv had officially received the draft for consideration.

Where this stands

Administration officials stress the plan circulating inside the White House is not final. They say inclusion of items long pushed by Russia does not mean those terms will be the eventual outcome, and they expect further talks that include Ukrainian input. Some US officials hope for progress by year-end, though Kremlin spokespeople have denied there is a formal US-Russia process underway and characterized contacts as limited.

Other dynamics complicate the picture: recent reporting about corruption inside Ukraine has led some US officials to view Kyiv as politically weakened, a factor that has heightened concern among European partners about potential leverage in negotiations. Meanwhile, the administration’s internal lineup of interlocutors remains in flux — Keith Kellogg, the special envoy for Russia and Ukraine, has said he plans to depart early next year, potentially creating a gap in direct channels with Kyiv.

This renewed push reflects a broader White House effort to translate recent diplomatic activity into a breakthrough on Europe’s most enduring conflict, but it faces skeptical allies, a resistant Ukrainian public and an uncompromising Russian negotiating position. Officials involved say the effort is a work in progress and that any credible settlement will require direct, sustained engagement with Ukraine.

Key names: Steve Witkoff, Kirill Dmitriev, Marco Rubio, Dan Driscoll, Karoline Leavitt, Keith Kellogg, Dmitry Peskov.

Contributors: Natasha Bertrand, Kevin Liptak