President Zelenskyy said Ukraine is being pressured into accepting a plan that would leave it vulnerable and divided. The US-backed proposal demands that Ukraine surrender territory, give up long-range weapons, and shrink its army. Officials in Kyiv and Europe have called the proposal unacceptable.
Trump set Thanksgiving as the deadline for signing the agreement, insisting it is time to end the war. Speaking on Fox radio, he said Zelenskyy “will have to like it,” adding that Ukraine cannot stop Russia from seizing the Donbas. His statements caused alarm among Ukraine’s allies.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine is under the heaviest pressure since the start of the full-scale invasion. He warned that accepting such terms would erase Ukraine’s justice and sovereignty. Alternatively, refusing could leave the country to face a winter of intensified Russian attacks on its already shattered energy system.
He emphasized that Ukraine cannot trust Russia, which has launched repeated assaults since 2014. He said Ukraine would calmly negotiate and propose alternatives but would never break its constitution to satisfy foreign demands. He stressed that peace must be lasting and not simply a pause before another invasion.
European leaders reaffirmed their support for a just peace, insisting the Trump proposal ignored Ukraine’s security interests. They stated clearly that Ukraine must determine its future, and any deal rewarding aggression would encourage further territorial expansion worldwide.