Senators Say Rubio Called 28-Point Ukraine Peace Plan a Russian 'Wish List' — Rubio and State Dept. Push Back

A group of U.S. senators at the Halifax International Security Forum said they were told by Sen. Marco Rubio that the 28-point peace proposal President Trump has urged Ukraine to accept was a Russian "wish list," not a document authored by the United States. Rubio and State Department officials denied that account, saying the proposal was drafted by the U.S. with input from both Russia and Ukraine.

The document—reported to concede several demands Moscow has made—has provoked concern among lawmakers who say it would reward aggression and weaken Ukraine’s ability to defend itself. The plan, which has been widely discussed in diplomatic and congressional circles, includes terms Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly rejected, including territorial concessions.

Senators' reaction: Independent Sen. Angus King of Maine called the proposal "rewarding aggression," saying there is "no ethical, legal, moral, political justification" for allowing Russia to claim parts of eastern Ukraine. King, who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, compared the reported deal to historical acts of appeasement.

Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and Republican Sen. Mike Rounds said they and other senators who attended the forum spoke with Rubio, and were told he described the paper as coming from Russian sources rather than being the administration's own plan. Rounds said the document "looked more like it was written in Russian to begin with" and characterized the U.S. role as that of a recipient, not the originator.

State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott dismissed the senators' account on social media as "blatantly false," reiterating that the administration has consistently maintained the plan was authored by the United States with input from both Russia and Ukraine. A senior U.S. official told reporters the proposal should be viewed as a starting point for negotiations rather than a final settlement.

"It is not our recommendation, it is not our peace plan," Rounds said, while Shaheen warned there is "so much in that plan that is totally unacceptable."

Sen. Thom Tillis criticized Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell for not being more forceful in his response to the plan; McConnell had urged the president to choose advisers focused on securing a real, enforceable peace rather than appeasement. Several senators who serve on the Foreign Relations Committee — including Peter Welch and Chris Coons — issued a joint statement expressing deep concern that the reported terms would degrade Ukraine's ability to defend itself and reward years of illegal occupation.

Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin welcomed the proposal and said it "could form the basis of a final peace settlement" if Ukraine and European partners agreed. Zelenskyy did not categorically reject the plan but stressed the need for fairness and repeated his intention to work with allies in difficult negotiations.

The Halifax forum, attended by diplomats, military officials, scholars and lawmakers, provided a rare in-person venue for these discussions amid strained relations and diplomatic maneuvering. Several senators said they traveled to the conference in part to demonstrate U.S. engagement with partners and to press for a negotiated outcome that preserves Ukraine's sovereignty.