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Ukraine prepares new peace proposal for Washington
Kyiv is set to submit an updated peace plan to the White House as early as Tuesday, aiming to sidestep demands for territorial concessions to Russia, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Monday.
Zelensky rejects land surrender demands
Speaking after meetings with European and NATO leaders, Zelensky reiterated his refusal to cede Ukrainian territory, stating he lacks the legal or moral authority to do so under domestic and international law. He emphasized that any border changes would require a national referendum.
"Russia insists we give up territories, but we don't want to cede anything. We have no legal right-under Ukrainian law, our constitution, or international law-and no moral right either."
Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukrainian President
Diplomatic push amid stalled US-Ukraine talks
Zelensky's comments follow a weekend of intense negotiations between US and Ukrainian officials in Miami, which failed to yield an agreement acceptable to Kyiv. His chief negotiator, Rustem Umerov, briefed him on Monday about direct discussions between Washington and Moscow, including Russian President Vladimir Putin's stance.
According to the Interfax-Ukraine news agency, the initial 28-point US proposal-criticized by Kyiv and European allies as overly favorable to Russia-has been trimmed to 20 points. Zelensky assured that no "pro-Ukrainian" elements were removed, though territorial compromises remain off the table.
Key sticking points: Donbas and Zaporizhzhia
Zelensky highlighted control of the eastern Donbas region and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant as particularly contentious issues. A leaked draft of the US-backed plan had suggested transferring full control of Donbas to Russia, despite Kremlin forces failing to capture it after nearly four years of war. The proposal also called for splitting energy output from Zaporizhzhia, Europe's largest nuclear plant, between Ukraine and Russia.
European leaders rally behind Ukraine
In a show of solidarity, Zelensky met with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in London on Monday. Downing Street described the talks as a "critical moment" to bolster support for Ukraine, reaffirming demands for a "just and lasting peace" with "robust security guarantees."
However, the shape of those guarantees remains uncertain. While the UK and France have proposed deploying international troops to Ukraine, Germany and Italy have expressed skepticism. The US's role in any future defense arrangements is also unclear.
Russia claims progress as drone strikes disrupt power
Moscow claimed the White House talks were constructive, despite no public signs of concessions on its core invasion objectives. Meanwhile, Russian drone strikes knocked out power in the northeastern city of Sumy overnight, the latest in a wave of nightly attacks on infrastructure. The region's governor reported over a dozen drones targeting energy facilities, though no casualties were recorded.
Trump weighs in on Zelensky's stance
Former US President Donald Trump, who has made brokering a Ukraine-Russia peace deal a key foreign policy goal, suggested Zelensky was the primary obstacle to progress. Trump told reporters on Sunday that Russia was "fine" with the US proposal but expressed disappointment that Zelensky "hasn't read it."
Zelensky, who is continuing his European tour with stops in Brussels and Rome, dismissed the criticism, stating he was awaiting Umerov's full debrief from the Miami negotiations.
