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US Says 28-Point Ukraine Proposal Is Official Policy as Senators Call It a ‘Russian Wish List’

04:58 PM, 11/23/2025
US Says 28-Point Ukraine Proposal Is Official Policy as Senators Call It a ‘Russian Wish List’

Washington insists a leaked 28-point Ukraine proposal is official U.S. policy, rejecting senators’ claims that Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it a Russian "wish list." Critics argue the draft would require Kyiv to cede territory, cut its military and renounce NATO membership. Rubio says the text was authored by the U.S. and includes input from both sides; several senators and other lawmakers disagree. Negotiators are set to meet in Switzerland as debate continues over whether a deal would reward aggression or defend Ukrainian sovereignty.

Washington on Saturday defended a 28-point Ukraine proposal as official U.S. policy, rejecting claims from several senators that Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the document as a Russian "wish list." The plan, which critics say would concede Ukrainian territory and limit Kyiv’s military and NATO prospects, has added confusion to international efforts to negotiate an end to the war.

President Donald Trump has promoted the package and urged Ukrainian leaders to consider it within days. Negotiators are due to meet in Switzerland as debate intensifies over whether any settlement would reward aggression or safeguard Ukrainian sovereignty.

Senators Raise Concerns

At the Halifax International Security Forum in Nova Scotia, Republican Mike Rounds, independent Angus King and Democrat Jeanne Shaheen said Rubio told them the current draft did not reflect the administration’s position and appeared to reflect Russian priorities. Rounds said the document "was not the American proposal" and suggested it first came from a Russian source before reaching Trump envoy Steve Witkoff. "It is not our recommendation. It is not our peace plan," he said.

King said the leaked draft appeared to present "the wish list of the Russians" to European and Ukrainian interlocutors. He added that any peace must "respect the integrity and the sovereignty of Ukraine and not reward aggression."

Rubio: "Authored by the US"

Rubio pushed back, saying the proposal "was authored by the US" and is offered as a strong framework for negotiations. He acknowledged that it incorporates input from the Russian side and from previous and ongoing consultations with Ukraine.

Shaheen and Rounds said they spoke to Rubio while he was traveling to Geneva for discussions with Ukrainian officials; Rounds described Rubio as "very frank" and said the language of the draft "didn't look like something that would normally come out of our government," adding it "looked more like it was written in Russian to begin with."

Broader Political Reaction

A number of other senators, including some aligned with the president, criticized the draft as overly conciliatory to Moscow. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell warned on social media that rewarding Russian brutality would be "disastrous to America's interests," and accused President Vladimir Putin of trying to manipulate the administration.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly vowed to preserve Ukraine’s territorial integrity. In a national address on Friday, he described the situation as among the country’s most difficult moments and said Ukraine would propose alternatives to the plan.

As negotiators prepare to meet, the dispute underscores the diplomatic delicate balance between seeking an end to hostilities and protecting Ukraine’s sovereignty and security guarantees.

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