Senators Say Rubio Called Leaked U.S. Ukraine Peace Plan a Russian 'Wish List'

08:23 AM, 11/23/2025

At the Halifax forum, bipartisan U.S. senators said Senator Marco Rubio told them the leaked 28-point U.S.-backed peace plan for Ukraine resembled a Russian "wish list" rather than Washington’s own directives. The State Department denied the senators' account, and Rubio insisted the document was authored by the United States with input from Russia and Ukraine. Critics said the draft appears to concede to many Russian demands, while Putin said it could form a settlement basis if agreed by Kyiv and European partners.

At the Halifax International Security Forum, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators said Senator Marco Rubio told them the widely leaked 28-point peace plan being pushed on Kyiv resembled a Russian "wish list" rather than a proposal reflecting Washington’s own negotiating positions. The senators said Rubio made the remark while traveling to Geneva for discussions about the proposal.

State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott rejected the senators' account as "blatantly false." Rubio, in a post on X, said the plan "was authored by the U.S." and described it as "a strong framework for ongoing negotiations," adding that it incorporated input from the Russian side as well as prior and ongoing input from Ukraine.

What the senators said

Republican Senator Mike Rounds of South Dakota, speaking at the forum in Halifax, said the administration "was not responsible for this release in its current form" and suggested the document would be used only as a starting point. "It looked more like it was written in Russian to begin with," he said.

Independent Senator Angus King of Maine told reporters that Rubio told them the draft "was not the administration’s plan" but rather a "wish list of the Russians." A group of veteran senators who focus on foreign policy stood together to relay Rubio’s reported message.

Administration response and context

A senior administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity to describe internal discussions, said the White House has consistently maintained that the United States authored the plan while incorporating input from both Russian and Ukrainian sources. The official described the draft as intended to serve as a starting point for negotiations toward a more durable settlement.

Critics at the forum warned that the leaked document, as described, would reward Russian aggression. "It rewards aggression. This is pure and simple," King said, arguing there is no ethical or legal justification for Russia to claim parts of eastern Ukraine.

Reactions from Kyiv and Moscow

Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed the proposal and said it "could form the basis of a final peace settlement" if Ukraine and its European partners agree. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not reject the plan outright, but insisted on fair treatment and pledged to "work calmly" with Washington and other partners during what he described as "one of the most difficult moments in our history."

The Halifax International Security Forum, now in its 17th year, brought together military officials, senators, diplomats and scholars to discuss security issues. The forum has attracted attention this year because of intense debate over the contents and authorship of the leaked peace proposal and what it might mean for future negotiations.

Note: Several participants and officials provided on-the-record statements; some administration officials spoke on background to describe internal deliberations.