Trump Tells Zelenskyy to Accept 28-Point Deal or “Fight His Little Heart Out”
US President warns Ukraine of dire consequences for rejecting Moscow-favoring peace plan.
United States President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday, declaring that if Kyiv rejects the newly proposed 28-point peace plan—which demands significant territorial concessions to Russia—Zelenskyy can "continue to fight his little heart out," implying Ukraine's inevitable defeat amid mounting battlefield setbacks and dwindling international support.
The provocative remarks, delivered to reporters outside the White House, underscore Trump's growing impatience with the protracted Russia-Ukraine war, now in its third grueling year, as he reiterated his campaign pledge to swiftly resolve the conflict that has already drained over $180 billion in American military aid without yielding decisive victory for Kyiv.
The plan, unexpectedly presented to Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Thursday by US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll—much to the surprise of his own staff—stipulates Ukraine's full cession of the eastern Donbas region to Moscow, a drastic reduction in its armed forces, permanent renunciation of NATO membership, and elections within 100 days, alongside ideological clauses prohibiting "Nazi activities" and guaranteeing media rights, elements widely viewed as tilting heavily in Russia's favor.
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In a Friday video address, Zelenskyy described the dilemma as Ukraine's most challenging moment, confronting a "very difficult choice" between national dignity and the peril of losing a vital ally, while a US official noted that Ukrainians perceive the blueprint merely as an initial negotiation starting point subject to evolution; Trump, however, dismissed such optimism, recalling past Oval Office tensions where he bluntly told Zelenskyy, "You don't have the cards."
Amid Ukraine's escalating crises—including relentless Russian aerial assaults crippling energy infrastructure, widespread blackouts, a corruption scandal implicating top officials in a $100 million kickback scheme, and doubts over European funding for Kyiv's 2025 budget—Trump expressed hope for dialogue but insisted on resolution "one way or the other," leaving Zelenskyy bracing for an anticipated call with the US leader in the coming days.
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