US President Donald Trump on Thursday pressed Ukraine to accept a US-brokered plan to end the war with Russia that would cede significant territory to Moscow, setting a firm deadline of Nov. 27 — the American Thanksgiving holiday — and saying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “will have to like it.”
“He’ll have to like it, and if he doesn’t like it, then you know, they should just keep fighting,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, responding to questions about Zelensky’s lukewarm and public rejection of the 28‑point document. “At some point, he’s going to have to accept something,” he added.
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The plan, a draft of which was obtained by AFP and described by US officials, would see Ukraine cede swathes of eastern territory to Russia, sharply reduce the size of its armed forces, pledge never to join NATO and forgo the Western peacekeeping presence Kyiv has sought — while stationing European warplanes in Poland. Ukrainian officials have said the proposal is heavily tilted in Moscow’s favor; Zelensky has said he would not “betray” his country.
Trump said in an interview with Fox News Radio that Thursday was an “appropriate time” to press for an agreement but added that deadlines can be extended if “things are working well.” He argued that continued fighting would ultimately leave Ukraine in the same position as the plan would, saying Ukrainian forces had been “very brave” but that territory would likely be lost if the war continued.
Asked whether Russian President Vladimir Putin might seek further aggression in Europe, Trump said Putin “is not looking for more war” and that the Russian leader was “taking punishment” after a conflict that the president said “was supposed to be a one‑day war.”
The announcement has deepened a transatlantic rift over the future of Ukraine and overshadowed the opening of the G20 summit in Johannesburg, South Africa. Trump is not attending the summit; US officials said Washington is at odds with the host’s priorities on trade and climate.
European leaders attending the G20 planned a separate meeting on the sidelines to stress that “there should be nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said. The summit draws a wide group of leaders including France’s Emmanuel Macron, India’s Narendra Modi, China’s Li Qiang and Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin, speaking on arrival, said Ireland was honored to be a guest country and highlighted meetings on sustainability, trade and development.
The dispute over the US proposal comes as Western countries continue to weigh how best to support Ukraine’s defence while seeking a political end to a war that began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. Kyiv has repeatedly argued any negotiated settlement must not sacrifice its territorial integrity or security guarantees.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
