Ukraine desperate to keep Trump onside while saving its sovereignty
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (not visible) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speak at a joint press conference after their official meeting at the Ankara Presidential Complex on November 19, 2025.
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Ukrainian officials spent the weekend scrambling to make up lost ground when it came to talks with the United States on a peace plan to end the war with Russia; Kiev has had to walk a fine line between showing the United States that it is willing to participate in discussions and concern about preserving its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
After it was revealed last week that Russia and the White House had held secret talks and designed a 28-point peace plan that largely supported Moscow’s demands, talks between US and Ukrainian officials were held in Switzerland over the weekend.
The plan, which Ukraine did not participate in, included controversial conditions such as giving Ukraine territorial and military concessions by ceding the eastern Donbas region and reducing its army by 50%, as well as other proposals that crossed Ukraine’s “red lines”.
While media reports about the “peace plan” were initially met with harsh silence from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his European allies, some analysts in question this meant capitulating to Russia’s maximalist territorial demands.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump issued an ultimatum to Kiev to respond to the plan by Thursday, and Russian President Vladimir Putin signaled his approval of the plan, saying it formed the “basis for a final peace agreement”.
Zelenskyy, who broke his silence on the proposals last Friday, said Ukraine was facing one of the most difficult moments in its history and faced a choice between “losing its honor and losing an important partner,” referring to the United States.
Pressured interviews
Trump turned things around on Saturday, adding an extra layer of presidential pressure to Sunday talks between the United States and Ukraine by posting on Truth Social that Ukraine showed “zero gratitude” for U.S. peace efforts.
While few details are available, the talks, involving US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and a Ukrainian delegation led by Zelenskyy’s top aide Andriy Yermak, appear to have gone well. Rubio told reporters that both sides had made “tremendous progress,” with negotiators preparing an “updated and refined peace framework” to be worked on this week.
Although Ukraine has acknowledged that NATO membership is unlikely (and this is one of Russia’s main demands), this means that post-war security guarantees are very important for Kiev.
Ukraine has also backed away from ceding partially occupied Ukrainian territory to Russia and its European allies, out of fear that Russia would regroup and launch another invasion in the future to seize more of Ukraine. Kiev reiterated its position that it needed a “fair and lasting peace”, not an agreement that would not stand the test of time.
Asked about the inclusion of U.S.-Ukraine security guarantees in the document, Rubio responded vaguely but told reporters Sunday:
“I think we all recognize that bringing a final end to this war requires Ukraine to feel secure and to feel that it will never be invaded or attacked again. So that’s an issue that needs to be discussed openly. I think we’ve made significant progress on that and other issues.”
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks with reporters at John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport following the G7 meeting of foreign ministers on November 12, 2025 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Mandel Ngan | via Reuters
Rubio acknowledged that the progress of negotiations with Ukraine depends on Russia’s approval, saying: “No matter what we face today, of course, whatever comes out now, if we can reach an agreement between the Ukrainian side and Russia, that’s another part of the equation. For this to work, they have to accept that.”
On Monday, Trump questioned the progress in the talks, posting on Truth Social: “Is it really possible to make major progress in the Peace Talks between Russia and Ukraine? Don’t believe it until you see it, but something good might be happening.” he said.
red lines
Zelenskyy, for his part, said the talks were “important” and said on social media on Monday: “It is very important now that every joint action with our partners is thoroughly thought out. All decisions must be feasible to ensure lasting peace and guaranteed security… Together we will definitely protect our common interests and our people.”
Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksiy Goncharenko told CNBC on Monday that he hoped the latest talks would be productive but said security guarantees were “absolutely vital.”
“There are some things in this proposal. [peace plan] These are unacceptable for Ukraine, there are some things that need to be changed, but in general we finally have a framework and we must work on it and improve it, this is diplomacy,” Goncharenko told CNBC.Squawk Box Europe.”
Aside from security guarantees, other red lines for Ukraine concern the proposal in the original 28-point plan for its armed forces to cede parts of the Donbas region, including many large, fortified cities they still control.
“I think this is unacceptable for Ukraine because we cannot just abandon our people,” Goncharenko said. he said.
“Conflicts must be frozen and a peace agreement must be reached on the current day.” [front] “This is something that has been said over and over again and I think we need to stick to it,” he said.
