Ukraine, European Allies Nix Major Parts of U.S.-Russia Plan

Kyiv’s biggest European allies lined up with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to reject key elements of a US-Russian plan to end the war in Ukraine as Washington threatened to halt military support to force acceptance of the deal, Arne Delfs, Daryna Krasnolutska and Alberto Nardelli reported for Bloomberg News.

Ceding territory in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions that Ukraine still controls could leave the country vulnerable to future attack by Russia. (Photo: Володимир Зеленський Facebook

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, France’s Emmanuel Macron and Keir Starmer of the UK agreed in a call with Zelenskiy that Ukraine’s armed forces must remain capable of defending its sovereignty and that the current line of contact should be the starting point for any peace talks.

“We are working on the document prepared by the American side. This must be a plan that ensures a real and dignified peace,” Zelenskiy posted on X after the call.

“We are coordinating closely to make sure that the principled stances are taken into account.”

Ceding territory in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions that Ukraine still controls could leave the country vulnerable to future attack by Russia. “It is a matter of our country's survival,” Zelenskiy said recently.

The plan calls for Ukraine to reduce its army to 400,000 personnel, cutting its military by more than half, the same source told Agence France-Presse (AFP). Kyiv would also be required to give up all long-range weapons.

The US has threatened to stop intelligence sharing and weapons supplies to Ukraine and to pull out of all processes unless Kyiv agrees to the peace plan, according to people familiar with the matter.

Merz convened the call to formulate a response to a 28-point list of demands and proposals that Zelenskiy received from the US that would mean sweeping concessions to Vladimir Putin.

The Ukrainian regions of Crimea, Luhansk and Donetsk would be “recognized as de facto Russian, including by the US,” according to the plan, a copy of which was seen by Bloomberg News. 

Ukraine would also be required to hold elections within 100 days, give up any hope of NATO membership and slash the size of its armed forces.