US Confirms Trump’s Approval of 28-Point Russia-Ukraine Peace Plan Developed Over Weeks
Trump approves a 28-point peace plan as US officials push to revive stalled Russia-Ukraine negotiations.
In a potential turning point for one of Europe's most devastating conflicts, U.S. President Donald Trump has quietly approved a comprehensive 28-point peace plan aimed at resolving the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, according to a report by NBC News citing a senior administration official. The framework, developed over recent weeks by top U.S. officials in close consultation with Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev and Ukrainian representatives, draws inspiration from Trump's earlier 20-point Gaza peace initiative, which facilitated a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in September 2025. Described as focusing on mutual security guarantees to foster a "lasting peace", the plan addresses core demands from both sides, including elements vital for Ukraine's long-term stability, though specifics remain under wraps pending further negotiations. This development underscores the Trump administration's aggressive diplomatic push to de-escalate global hotspots early in his second term.
The plan's creation involved key figures such as U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, who led extensive discussions with Dmitriev during the Russian envoy's October visit to Miami, alongside input from Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Jared Kushner. Organised into four broad categories—peace terms in Ukraine, security guarantees for the parties involved, broader European stability measures, and outlines for future U.S. relations with both Moscow and Kyiv—the proposal seeks to balance contentious issues like territorial control and military reductions. Notably, it reportedly calls for Ukraine to cede full de facto control of the Donbas regions (Luhansk and Donetsk) to Russia, despite Kyiv retaining about 14.5% of the area, in exchange for robust U.S.-backed assurances against future aggression. While Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov provided feedback incorporated into the draft, the framework has not yet been formally presented to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, with officials emphasising its negotiable nature among stakeholders.
Coinciding with the plan's approval, a high-level U.S. Army delegation, led by Secretary Dan Driscoll, arrived in Kyiv on Wednesday to engage Ukrainian leaders on dual fronts: refining military strategy and technology support, and injecting fresh momentum into the stalled peace talks. Sources close to the discussions, including European officials and Ukrainian insiders, described the visit as a "fact-finding mission" to align aid with diplomatic goals, potentially paving the way for presenting the plan as a viable path forward. The Kremlin, however, has tempered expectations, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissing reports of breakthroughs and insisting no major updates have emerged since Trump's August 2025 summit with Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska. This cautious stance highlights the challenges ahead, as Russia maintains its demands for territorial recognition and Ukraine prioritises sovereignty and reparations.
Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has exacted a staggering toll, displacing millions, claiming tens of thousands of lives, and inflicting widespread destruction across eastern and southern regions through relentless artillery barrages, drone assaults, and infrastructure sabotage. Bolstered by NATO allies' military and financial aid totalling over $200 billion, Ukraine has mounted fierce defences and counteroffensives to reclaim occupied lands, while Russia seeks to entrench gains in annexed territories like Crimea and parts of Donbas, fuelling a protracted stalemate that has strained global energy markets and food supplies. Previous mediation efforts, including the Minsk agreements and Istanbul talks, faltered amid mutual distrust, but Trump's intervention—building on his Gaza success—signals a U.S.-led revival of shuttle diplomacy, potentially averting further escalation if concessions can be bridged.
The proposed plan has sparked intense debate, with critics labelling it a potential "capitulation" for Ukraine due to demands such as capping the size of its army below current levels, recognising Russian control over Crimea and other occupied areas, prohibiting foreign troops on Ukrainian soil post-ceasefire, and requiring Kyiv to relinquish some long-range weapons. Ukrainian officials, speaking anonymously to outlets like The New York Times, expressed concerns that the framework echoes Russian maximalist positions, potentially undermining Kyiv's sovereignty and security. On social media platform X, reactions range from optimistic posts hailing Trump as the "Peace President" and predicting bullish market impacts from a ceasefire to sharp rebukes calling the concessions a "travesty" and urging Zelenskyy to reject it outright. Supporters, including some conservative commentators, view it as a pragmatic step toward ending the war, while others warn it could portray Ukraine as uncooperative if refused.
As the delegation's meetings unfold in Kyiv, the plan's fate hinges on Zelenskyy's response and broader international buy-in, with European allies like France and Britain wary of elements that could nix their proposals for a postwar "reassurance force". Zelenskyy, who met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday to push for intensified pressure on Russia, including more air-defence missiles, reiterated calls for a "just peace" without forced territorial losses. The White House has not commented publicly, but Axios reported the document aims to produce a written agreement before a potential Trump-Putin summit, possibly in Budapest. Amid ongoing battlefield intensity—highlighted by a deadly Russian missile strike on a residential tower in Ternopil that killed at least 10—the world watches whether this blueprint can evolve into an enduring resolution or exacerbate divisions in the transatlantic alliance.
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