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Ukraine said Friday it was working with a U.S. delegation on the new peace plan backed by President Donald Trump, as its allies scrambled to respond to the proposal that would grant Russia key demands at a moment of weakness for Kyiv.
The Kremlin maintained that it had not seen details of the plan, but urged Ukraine to make a “responsible decision” in light of mounting battlefield pressure.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held an urgent call with the leaders of Britain, Germany and France, after which he said he valued Trump’s efforts and would keep working with American officials to ensure Kyiv’s “principled stances are taken into account.”
Zelenskyy added: “We are working on the document prepared by the American side. This must be a plan that ensures a real and dignified peace.”
The sudden emergence of the plan has fueled unease across the continent, which fears a deal imposing major concessions on Ukraine could embolden Russia further.
A senior U.S. official told NBC News that the plan was drawn up immediately following discussions with Rustem Umerov, the secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council. He “agreed to the majority of the plan, after making several modifications, and presented it to President Zelenskyy,” the official said.
Umerov denied this Friday.
“During my visit to the United States, my role was technical — organizing meetings and preparing the dialogue. I provided no assessments or, even more so, approvals of any points. This is not within my authority and does not correspond to the procedure,” he said in a post on X.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that any deal must provide full security guarantees and deterrence for Ukraine, Europe and Russia.
“This plan was crafted to reflect the realities of the situation, after five years of a devastating war, to find the best win-win scenario, where both parties gain more than they must give,” she said.
The existence of the peace plan was first reported by Axios, which has since reported its full version.
A source familiar with the matter confirmed to NBC News that the reported plan was accurate. It’s currently in draft mode but reflects where the parties stand at the moment, with feedback from both Russia and Ukraine, the source said.
The plan as outlined effectively amounts to a capitulation by Ukraine.
It calls for Ukraine to surrender its eastern Donbas heartland to Russia, including withdrawing from fiercely contested areas that it currently controls. It also stipulates that Ukraine would have to cap the size of its military and agree to never join NATO. The annexed Crimean Peninsula will also be recognized as de facto Russian, including by the United States.
These are all key demands of Russian President Vladimir Putin, with little obvious concessions to be made by the Kremlin as part of the plan.
Nonetheless, Moscow has been publicly cautious.
“Officially, we have not received anything,” spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Friday. “Moreover, we are learning some things from the press even though our contacts have not stopped, and we have never stopped them,” he said. “There are certain considerations on the American side, but at the moment nothing substantive is being discussed,” he added.
He warned Zelenskyy to negotiate now, before it’s too late. “The regime needs to make a responsible decision,” he said.
The emergence of the plan comes at one of the most politically-charged moments for Ukraine since the full-scale invasion.
Already facing battlefield setbacks, the government is now mired in a $100 million corruption scandal that has embroiled a number of high-profile figures, some with close ties to Zelenskyy.
Prosecutors have named Umerov as one of the officials allegedly implicated in the kickback scheme. He has denied any involvement and is not currently facing any charges, continuing his work in the government. Zelenskyy’s name has so far not figured in the investigation.
The timing is viewed by Ukrainian officials as no coincidence, a source close to the Ukrainian government said, and they see it as a likely attempt by the Kremlin to take advantage of a potentially weakened Ukrainian leadership.
Putin, appearing in a military uniform as he received reports from the front lines, said Thursday the corruption scandal showed that Zelenskyy’s government was “sitting on golden pots” without concern for its people or soldiers.
Putin and his entourage have themselves been subject of numerous corruption investigations throughout his 25-year rule.
Yuliya Talmazan is a reporter for NBC News Digital, based in London.
Monica Alba is a White House correspondent for NBC News.
Peter Alexander is chief White House correspondent for NBC News.
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