United States President Donald Trump has set next Thursday as the deadline for Ukraine to respond to the US-backed peace proposal that demands territorial concessions from Kyiv, officials said.
On Friday, Trump said that next Thursday is an “appropriate deadline” for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to accept the proposal, adding that the latter “has no choice” but to approve to the plan as his forces are conceding ground in the war.
According to the 28-page draft of the peace proposal, Ukraine must accept the legitimacy of Russia’s annexation of Crimea, which was captured by Russia in 2014.
The draft also demands recognition of the eastern parts of the country, including Luhansk and Donetsk, as de facto Russian territory.
On Friday, Zelenskyy said his country faced a tough choice – whether to lose its dignity or to lose its “key partner”, the United States.
He also held a detailed telephonic conversation with the leaders of Britain, France and Germany on the issue, with sources saying the EU leaders are allegedly preparing a counter-proposal to that of the US.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, responded to the developments, saying, “It could serve as a foundation for a final peace settlement.”
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy said he had spoken with US Vice President JD Vance and discussed the peace proposal as well as ways to end the conflict that has been going on for more than three years now.
The Russian side has demanded that Ukraine must give up ambitions to join NATO, the de-nazification of the country, designate Russian as an official language, and accept Russian claims on territories recently annexed by Moscow.
