Growing Pressures on Zelenskyy: Leaked Peace Plan, Domestic Scandal and Winter Power Shortages

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is navigating a pivotal week of diplomacy as a leaked 28-point U.S.-Russia draft peace plan intensifies international debate and tests Kyiv’s negotiating leverage. The leak has prompted urgent diplomacy in Geneva and a scramble among Ukrainian and European leaders to protect Kyiv’s interests.

Leaked peace plan and international response

The draft, published widely after it was leaked, alarmed officials in Kyiv and across Europe because it appears to accommodate several Russian demands, including limits on the size of Ukraine’s armed forces and provisions that could effectively cede territory held by Russian forces. The plan also raised concerns by suggesting Kyiv abandon efforts to hold Russia accountable for alleged war crimes.

U.S. President Donald Trump initially set a hard deadline for Ukraine to accept the plan before Thanksgiving, prompting immediate pushback from Ukrainian and European leaders. European officials issued a cautious statement welcoming certain elements as a potential basis for further negotiation but stressed that Kyiv must have meaningful input on any final agreement.

Diplomacy in Geneva

U.S. and Ukrainian delegations met in Geneva and described the talks as "productive," saying discussions would continue. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio later indicated the original Thanksgiving deadline would be softened, noting that "more time is needed" to resolve outstanding issues. Zelenskyy said he felt the U.S. leadership was "hearing" Ukraine’s concerns after the meetings.

Domestic political strain

At home, Zelenskyy is confronting a major corruption scandal that investigators say involves roughly $100 million and several senior officials. The scandal sparked an unprecedented revolt within his own party and intense calls from some lawmakers for the presidential chief of staff, Andrii Yermak, to take responsibility or step down.

Zelenskyy has resisted demands to fire Yermak, arguing that he is central to ongoing negotiations. He has urged unity and warned against internal political infighting at a time when external pressures are mounting.

Legal security and political risks

Despite the domestic turmoil and criticism, Zelenskyy is not at immediate legal risk of removal. Martial law declared after the invasion has indefinitely postponed presidential and parliamentary elections, making it virtually impossible to unseat the president through normal electoral processes during the conflict. Nevertheless, Zelenskyy will need parliamentary support to ratify any peace agreement, and questions about Yermak could complicate that process or damage Zelenskyy’s future political prospects.

Military pressure and energy shortages

On the battlefield, Russian forces — better equipped in several sectors — have stepped up operations along multiple stretches of the roughly 1,000-kilometer front. Reports indicate steady advances in areas including the vicinity of Kupiansk and Pokrovsk, where intense fighting continues.

In the rear, Russia’s persistent strikes on energy infrastructure have produced severe electricity shortages just as colder weather arrives. November attacks on power stations produced some of the worst outages since the conflict began. Two earlier large strikes this year also damaged much of Ukraine’s gas extraction capacity, forcing state gas company Naftogaz to seek emergency funds to import expensive gas supplies.

What to watch next

• Whether Geneva talks produce concrete changes to the draft plan that protect Ukraine’s sovereignty and justice demands.
• How European partners respond to U.S. pressure and whether they press for Kyiv’s direct participation in any deal.
• Domestic fallout from the corruption scandal and whether it affects Zelenskyy’s ability to secure parliamentary backing for future agreements.
• Developments on the front and the resilience of Ukraine’s energy system as winter deepens.

Sources: Statements from Ukrainian and U.S. officials; reporting on battlefield movements and energy infrastructure impacts.