Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has agreed to negotiate with former US President Donald Trump on a peace plan that requires significant concessions from Ukraine. The draft plan, prepared by US and Russian officials, calls for Ukraine to cede control of the northern Donbas region to Russia, cut its army in half, and relinquish long-range weapons.
Zelenskyy's office said he would discuss the plan with Trump in the coming days on "existing diplomatic opportunities and the main points necessary for peace". However, Ukrainian officials have been dismissive of the proposal, calling it "absurd" and "unacceptable".
The plan does not offer significant security guarantees from the US or its European allies, which Ukraine needs to feel secure. Instead, it relies on Russia's own promises, which are unlikely to be taken seriously.
European leaders, including Poland's foreign minister RadosΕaw Sikorski and the EU's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, have expressed skepticism about the plan, saying that Europe must be consulted and that any peace deal requires Ukraine's buy-in.
The White House has pushed the proposal at a time when Zelenskyy is embroiled in a major political scandal. Several deputies from his own party have called for him to dismiss his powerful chief of staff, Andriy Yermak.
Russia has sought to take advantage of Ukraine's domestic crisis, with Kremlin demands concerning the Russian language being seen as a "hook" that could be later exploited. The proposal has also been criticized by Ukrainian officials who say it amounts to the effective end of Ukraine's independence.
As the US and Russia engage in talks on the peace plan, tensions remain high. Russia has increased its attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, plunging much of the country into darkness, while Western cities have been bombed, killing 26 people including three children.
Zelenskyy's office said he would discuss the plan with Trump in the coming days on "existing diplomatic opportunities and the main points necessary for peace". However, Ukrainian officials have been dismissive of the proposal, calling it "absurd" and "unacceptable".
The plan does not offer significant security guarantees from the US or its European allies, which Ukraine needs to feel secure. Instead, it relies on Russia's own promises, which are unlikely to be taken seriously.
European leaders, including Poland's foreign minister RadosΕaw Sikorski and the EU's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, have expressed skepticism about the plan, saying that Europe must be consulted and that any peace deal requires Ukraine's buy-in.
The White House has pushed the proposal at a time when Zelenskyy is embroiled in a major political scandal. Several deputies from his own party have called for him to dismiss his powerful chief of staff, Andriy Yermak.
Russia has sought to take advantage of Ukraine's domestic crisis, with Kremlin demands concerning the Russian language being seen as a "hook" that could be later exploited. The proposal has also been criticized by Ukrainian officials who say it amounts to the effective end of Ukraine's independence.
As the US and Russia engage in talks on the peace plan, tensions remain high. Russia has increased its attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, plunging much of the country into darkness, while Western cities have been bombed, killing 26 people including three children.
I think it's super sus that Zelenskyy is agreeing to talk to Trump about this plan without even consulting his own parliament 
. I mean, what's in it for Ukraine, really? They're basically being asked to give up their sovereignty and security guarantees to the US & Russia. It's like, what if Russia just reneges on its promises? 
. The EU and other European leaders are right to be skeptical about this plan - it seems like just another Russian ploy to get what they want without putting in any real effort 
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. Ukraine needs to stand firm on this one and not let their internal struggles distract them from what's really at stake - the future of their country 
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. also, cut their army in half? how's that gonna protect them from russians? 
doesn't feel right that ukraine has to cede control over donbas region... they've fought hard for that 
gotta wonder if trump's just looking out for himself or something 
ukraine just wants to be left alone 
but russia and usa keep getting in the way 
and it's hard to trust anyone 
especially when there are no solid security guarantees 
the us is pushing for this plan just as russia is taking advantage of ukraine's struggles 
i'm so tired of all the fighting and bloodshed 
. We need to make sure that any peace deal includes concrete protections for Ukraine's sovereignty and security. It's also worrying that Russia is trying to take advantage of Ukraine's internal crisis... 
. I'm all for finding a peaceful solution, but you have to start with a solid foundation of trust and security guarantees. We can't just rely on Russia's word for it 
. Are they trying to distract us from their own problems? Or are they really that confident in Trump's ability to negotiate a good deal? I'm not buying it 
. We need a more robust and sustainable solution, not some quick fix that might just leave Ukraine even more vulnerable 
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οΈ? This peace plan is like taking a sledgehammer to the whole " Ukraine's independence" thing. I mean, ceding control of Donbas and cutting their army in half? That's not even close to what Ukraine should be asking for right now. And don't even get me started on relying on Russia's promises - have you seen how many times they've broken those? 
The US and European leaders are right to say that Europe needs to be consulted, but Zelenskyy's office is just going ahead with this plan without giving anyone a second thought. It's like they're saying "hey, we'll just take whatever you offer us and hope for the best" 
- I don't think it's a good idea for Ukraine to give up control of Donbas just like that... Russia's been trying to annex that region for years, and this plan is basically handing it over to them on a silver platter 
. i get that tensions need to be eased but this plan seems like a recipe for disaster 
... what if russia just goes back on their promises? 
it's not like we're seeing our own government handling this situation gracefully either 
It seems like the world is stuck in a cycle of violence and negotiations that don't lead to lasting peace. The fact that Ukraine's president is being asked to make concessions, including giving up control of a significant part of his country, raises concerns about the integrity of the talks. 