WASHINGTON, Nov 23 :President Donald Trump has said the US plan to end the Russia-Ukraine war is not his "final offer" for Kyiv, following concerns raised by Ukrainian allies, the BBC reports. Earlier, European, Canadian, and Japanese leaders described the proposal as including elements "essential for a just and lasting peace" but noted that further work was needed, citing worries over border adjustments and caps on Ukraine’s military.
Security officials from Britain, France, Germany, the US, and Ukraine are scheduled to meet in Geneva on Sunday to discuss the plan, the BBC adds. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had earlier warned that his country faced "one of the most difficult moments in our history" amid US pressure to accept a draft plan widely seen as favourable to Moscow.
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Trump has set a 27 November deadline for Kyiv to respond to the 28-point proposal, while Russian President Vladimir Putin indicated it could serve as a "basis" for a settlement, the BBC notes. When asked if the current draft was his final offer, Trump told reporters at the White House: "No, not my final offer," adding that the priority was to end the conflict one way or another.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff will join the Geneva talks, with the UK represented by National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell, according to the BBC. On Saturday, leaders at the G20 summit in South Africa, including officials from Canada, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, the UK, Germany, and Norway, signed a joint statement supporting the draft while emphasizing additional work was needed.
The statement stressed that borders must not be changed by force and expressed concern about proposed limitations on Ukraine’s armed forces, which could leave it vulnerable to future attacks, the BBC reports. It also noted that any measures relating to the EU or NATO would require member consent.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, speaking from Johannesburg during the summit, held phone calls with both Zelensky and Trump. A Downing Street spokesperson said Sir Keir relayed discussions among coalition partners and agreed that teams would continue working on the 28-point US plan in Geneva, the BBC adds. He also emphasized that Ukraine must retain the ability to defend itself under any ceasefire.
The US draft proposes Ukrainian forces withdraw from parts of eastern Donetsk, with Russia gaining de facto control of Donetsk, Luhansk, and Crimea. It also suggests freezing southern Kherson and Zaporizhzhia along current battle lines, limiting Ukraine’s military to 600,000 troops, and stationing European fighter jets in Poland, according to the BBC. Kyiv would receive unspecified "reliable security guarantees," with expectations that Russia will refrain from further aggression and NATO expansion would pause.
The plan envisions reintegrating Russia into the global economy, lifting sanctions, and potentially inviting Russia back into the G7, effectively creating a G8, the BBC notes. On Friday, Trump said Zelensky would need to accept the US proposals to avoid continued fighting. Zelensky, addressing the nation, warned that Ukraine might face "a very difficult choice: either losing dignity, or risk losing a key partner," while pledging to work constructively on the plan.
Zelensky also announced that his head of office, Andriy Yermak, would lead Ukraine’s negotiating team for any future peace talks, including with Russia. The president emphasized that the team knows how to protect national interests and prevent further invasions, the BBC reports.
Moscow has received the US plan, according to Putin, who said it had not been discussed in detail with the Kremlin. He expressed willingness to "show flexibility" but signalled readiness to continue fighting. Russian forces have advanced slowly in southeastern Ukraine despite heavy casualties since the February 2022 full-scale invasion, the BBC notes.
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