Trump-Backed Peace Plan Sparks Alarm as Ukraine, U.S. Discuss Controversial Draft

Ukraine said Friday it is working with a U.S. delegation on a peace proposal reportedly backed by former President Donald Trump, as details of a draft that would satisfy major Russian demands began to circulate. Kyiv’s leaders have scrambled to consult partners amid concerns the plan could force significant territorial and security concessions.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held urgent discussions with the leaders of Britain, Germany and France and said he values international engagement while insisting any agreement must protect Ukraine's core principles. "We are working on the document prepared by the American side. This must be a plan that ensures a real and dignified peace," he said.

A senior U.S. official said the draft was produced after talks in Washington and reflected negotiations with Ukrainian officials, but Rustem Umerov, secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, denied approving or endorsing the plan. In a post on X, Umerov called his role "technical — organizing meetings and preparing the dialogue" and stressed he did not authorize or approve points of the proposal.

Umerov: "During my visit to the United States, my role was technical — organizing meetings and preparing the dialogue. I provided no assessments or, even more so, approvals of any points."

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said any settlement must include strong security guarantees and deterrence for Ukraine, Europe and Russia, and described the proposal as an effort to find a "win‑win" outcome within the realities of a prolonged conflict.

Key elements of the draft

Public descriptions of the draft indicate it would require Ukraine to:

• cede control of large parts of the Donbas to Russia, including withdrawing from contested areas currently held by Ukrainian forces;
• accept limits on the size of its armed forces;
• formally renounce future NATO membership; and
• recognize the annexed Crimean peninsula as effectively under Russian control.

These provisions align with central demands made by President Vladimir Putin and, as reported, offer few apparent reciprocal concessions from the Kremlin.

Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesman: "Officially, we have not received anything. Moreover, we are learning some things from the press even though our contacts have not stopped."

Moscow has publicly taken a cautious tone, saying it has not formally seen the plan and warning Ukraine to make a "responsible decision" amid mounting battlefield pressure.

Political context and controversy

The disclosure arrives at a politically sensitive moment for Kyiv. Ukrainian officials are simultaneously contending with battlefield setbacks and a surfaced $100 million corruption scandal that has implicated several prominent figures. Prosecutors have named Umerov among those allegedly linked to the scheme; Umerov denies involvement and faces no charges.

Ukrainian officials say the timing of the draft's emergence appears calculated, and they suspect the Kremlin may be attempting to exploit perceived weaknesses in Kyiv's leadership. Appearing in military uniform while receiving frontline reports, President Putin criticized Kyiv over the corruption allegations, while Western and Ukrainian observers note that Russian officials have also faced long-standing corruption probes.

At this stage the proposal described in media reports is reportedly a draft. Ukrainian and American officials say work continues and emphasize that any durable settlement must secure Ukraine's sovereignty, security and dignity. The situation remains fluid, with diplomatic consultations ongoing and strong debate among Kyiv's partners about acceptable terms and safeguards.