Draft proposal reportedly asks. Ukraine to surrender parts of Donbas, cut its military, and forswear NATO—raising fears Kyiv is being pushed toward concessions favoring Moscow
MARKET INSIDER – Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said he is prepared to work “in sincere cooperation” with Washington after receiving a draft U.S.–backed peace plan aimed at ending the war with Russia—an overture that has stunned Kyiv’s allies and alarmed Ukrainian officials wary of being pressured into a lopsided settlement.
Multiple U.S. media outlets report the 28-point draft, crafted by American envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian counterpart Kirill Dmitriev without Ukraine’s participation, proposes sweeping concessions. Among them: Kyiv would relinquish the remaining territories it controls in eastern Donbas, significantly downsize its military, and formally commit to never joining NATO. Such terms would overwhelmingly favor Moscow, explaining the Zelensky administration’s cautious, measured tone in acknowledging the proposal.
In a statement, Zelensky’s office said Washington believes the draft could “help restore diplomacy,” and that Kyiv has agreed to “work on the plan’s terms in a way that could bring a just end to the war.” Ukrainian officials also emphasized they support “any substantive proposal that can bring real peace closer,” while declining to confirm details of the reported concessions.
The White House, meanwhile, pushed back on suggestions that the plan requires major Ukrainian compromises. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said envoy Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have been “working fairly with both sides to understand what each country is willing to commit to,” stressing that the proposal is exploratory rather than prescriptive.
Still, the alleged structure of the draft—if verified—marks the most radical U.S.-linked attempt yet to reset the diplomatic landscape since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. It also highlights the strategic bind Zelensky faces as he prepares to speak directly with Donald Trump, who has promised to “end the war” quickly if he returns to the White House, though without providing specifics.
Kyiv has long insisted that any peace must be “just and lasting,” a definition that includes full territorial sovereignty and long-term security guarantees. A plan requiring Ukraine to surrender land, shrink its forces, and give up NATO aspirations would fall far outside that framework. For now, Zelensky appears determined to signal openness without signaling weakness—a delicate balance with global implications.
As the details of Washington’s draft continue to circulate, one question is becoming paramount:
Is this the beginning of a viable peace process—or the opening move in a new geopolitical standoff over Ukraine’s future?
