Proposal envisages major concessions by Kyiv and rollback of American military assistance
The new peace plan was conveyed to Kyiv this week by US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, seen here with Russian President Vladimir Putin in August © POOL/AFP via Getty Images
US and Russian officials draft new peace plan for Ukraine
The Trump administration and Russian officials have drawn up a sweeping new proposal to end Russia’s war in Ukraine that envisages major concessions by Kyiv, and have urged President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to accept it, according to people briefed on the effort.
A group of Russian and American officials were involved in the creation of the plan, which is still at a framework stage, a person familiar with the talks told the Financial Times. One of its architects is Kirill Dmitriev, the head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund and a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, people familiar with the proposal said.
The plan was conveyed to Kyiv this week by US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, who met the current secretary of the national security and defence council of Ukraine and former defence minister, Rustem Umerov, in Miami to go over its 28 points, two people familiar with the talks said. They added Witkoff had made clear he wanted Zelenskyy to accept the terms even though they included points that have long been red lines for Ukraine.
One of the people said it would amount to Ukraine giving up its sovereignty if Kyiv accepted the plan and called the effort a Russian attempt to “play” the Trump administration, which they added was eager to “show progress” on a deal.
According to people with knowledge of a document about the draft plan, it would require Ukraine to cede the remainder of the eastern Donbas region — including land currently under Kyiv’s control — and cut the size of its armed forces by half.
Crucially, it also calls for Ukraine to abandon key categories of weaponry and would include the rollback of US military assistance that has been vital to its defence, potentially leaving the country vulnerable to future Russian aggression.
Additionally, no foreign troops would be allowed on Ukrainian soil and Kyiv would no longer receive western long-range weapons that can reach deep inside Russia.
The plan would also stipulate that Russian be recognised as an official state language in Ukraine and grant formal status to the local branch of the Russian Orthodox Church — provisions echoing long-standing Kremlin political objectives.
One person familiar with the document described it as a very generic one that was “heavily tilted towards Russia”. Another person briefed on the plan called it “very comfortable for Putin”.
“It’s not a plan but a mix of real, practical proposals with good intentions,” a Russian person familiar with the matter said. “Part of it is absolutely unacceptable for the Ukrainians.”
Officials in Kyiv briefed on the plan said it closely aligned with the Kremlin’s maximalist demands, adding it would be a non-starter for Ukraine without significant changes.
But one of the people briefed on the proposal was less pessimistic, saying “the Americans are pressing Moscow to clearly articulate what their expectations actually are to . . . start the negotiations”.
The proposal comes as Zelenskyy’s political position in Ukraine has weakened amid a widening corruption scandal involving several close allies.
The fallout has emboldened opposition figures and triggered dissent within his Servant of the People party. Some MPs have publicly called for the dismissal of the president’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, and proposed a unity government that would dilute Zelenskyy’s authority.
But it has also given Washington a window of opportunity to apply renewed pressure on Kyiv to reach a deal on terms that would be less than favourable.
The Kremlin and a spokesperson for Dmitriev did not immediately reply to requests for comment. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The existence of the plan was first reported by Axios.
Oil prices fell sharply on reports of the proposal, as traders bet that peace talks would reduce oil supply risks linked to the announcement last month of US sanctions on Russian oil companies Rosneft and Lukoil.
Brent crude prices fell almost 3 per cent to $63.17 during morning trading in New York, while US West Texas Intermediate, the benchmark for US crude, traded to a low of $58.77.
“Oil prices have been supported by the threat of sanctions and any move towards peace talks and less stringent enforcement by Washington is likely to shift the market focus towards oversupply concerns,” Kevin Book, head of research at ClearView Energy Partners, a Washington-based consultancy, said.
Dmitriev visited Washington in late October, after the US imposed sweeping sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil and cancelled a bilateral summit with Putin that was due to take place in Budapest, as Trump had been growing frustrated with the Russian president.
The last straw was a tense call between the two countries’ top diplomats, which convinced Washington that Moscow was not prepared to negotiate.
Additional reporting by Phil Georgiadis and Jamie Smyth in New York
