Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met heightened U.S. pressure on Friday as he held talks with Vice President J.D. Vance over President Donald Trump's emerging peace proposal, a sweeping 28-point draft that would require Kyiv to surrender additional territory, accept permanent neutrality and grant full amnesty to Russian forces. The call marked the highest-level engagement yet between Kyiv and Washington on the plan, according to two sources with knowledge of the conversation.
Zelensky has privately indicated readiness to negotiate, the sources said, even as the White House pushes for a signature by Thanksgiving. The proposal, first reported by Axios and later obtained by NBC News, includes strict limits on Ukraine's military, a pledge that it will never join NATO, and recognition of Crimea, Luhansk and Donetsk as de facto Russian. It would also cap Ukraine's armed forces and bind Kyiv to a non-alignment posture.
The plan simultaneously offers an unprecedented Western security guarantee. Modeled on NATO's Article 5, it would obligate the United States and European allies to consider an attack on Ukraine an attack on the entire "transatlantic community." But Ukrainian officials and European leaders say the territorial concessions demanded by Moscow overshadow that commitment.
Zelensky held a separate conference call Friday with the leaders of Germany, France and the U.K., signaling coordinated resistance to the most controversial provisions. "We are working on the document prepared by the American side. This must be a plan that ensures a real and dignified peace. We are coordinating closely to make sure that the principled stances are taken into account," he wrote on X.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz pushed back more directly, insisting "The contact line must remain the basis for any talks" and reiterating his support for Ukraine's sovereignty. European governments worry that a settlement removing large parts of eastern Ukraine from Kyiv's control could embolden Russia and reset the conflict on Kremlin terms.
In a somber video address, Zelensky warned the public that the country faces a historic crossroads. "This is one of the most difficult moments in our history," he said. He added that "the pressure on Ukraine is one of the hardest" and that the nation may confront "either losing its dignity or the risk of losing a key partner, either the difficult 28 points, or a very difficult winter."
Kyiv is simultaneously confronting domestic turmoil, including a $100 million corruption scandal involving high-profile officials. One senior U.S. official told NBC News that Rustem Umerov, secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, "agreed to the majority of the plan, after making several modifications, and presented it to President Zelenskyy." Umerov publicly denied that account, saying, "I provided no assessments or, even more so, approvals of any points."
The Kremlin has avoided commenting directly on the draft. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, "Officially, we have not received anything," adding that Moscow was learning details from the press despite ongoing contacts. He urged Kyiv to negotiate, declaring, "The regime needs to make a responsible decision."
Putin, appearing in military uniform during a briefing, used the moment to seize on Ukrainian political instability, arguing the corruption scandal showed Zelensky's government was "sitting on golden pots."
The plan remains in draft form but reflects where both Ukraine and Russia stand, according to a source familiar with the matter. Officials in Kyiv and European capitals say the coming days will determine whether the proposal becomes the basis for formal negotiations-or an inflection point that deepens divisions between allies.
