Photo: EPA
U.S. officials say Ukraine’s president may be willing to consider territorial concessions in exchange for a peace deal. A new initiative from the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump to end Russia’s war against Ukraine is gaining momentum. On Sunday, November 23, an American delegation is heading to Geneva to meet Ukrainian representatives and discuss Washington’s proposed peace plan. Despite widespread skepticism, U.S. officials insist the talks will be flexible rather than a directive for Kyiv, writes WP columnist David Ignatius.
According to American officials, the Trump administration acknowledges that the security guarantees in the 28-point peace plan “are not yet strong enough.” Trump may raise or remove the proposed limit of 600,000 troops for the Ukrainian army, and the U.S. is considering supplying Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles if a peace agreement is reached.
One senior official stressed that “Ukraine’s sovereignty can never be violated,” warning that the collapse of Ukraine would open the door to instability across Europe. Critics argue the plan rewards Moscow’s aggression and undermines Ukraine’s sovereignty.
A U.S. official said the administration remains “100% committed” to providing intelligence support to Ukraine. The 28-point proposal is described as “ambitious” and open to negotiation. Trump’s public comments, however, have been less reassuring, including talk of a Thanksgiving deadline that he later walked back.
Ignatius notes that U.S. officials approached him to reassure Europeans, Ukrainians and Americans that Trump’s proposal is not as pro-Russian as it may seem. Ultimately, the key decision belongs to President Volodymyr Zelensky: if he accepts, responsibility shifts to Moscow; if he rejects it, the war will likely continue into next year.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump envoy Steve Witkoff planned to travel to Geneva on November 22 to meet Zelensky. If he agrees to the negotiation framework, Witkoff will convey it to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The article is based on discussions with two U.S. officials granted anonymity, as well as European officials and sources familiar with deliberations inside the Ukrainian government.
According to these officials, the U.S. initiative was driven by recent Ukrainian battlefield setbacks in Donetsk and a corruption scandal in Kyiv. Meanwhile, Russia is under growing economic pressure and may prefer ending the war rather than fighting for years to take full control of Donetsk.
The model for Trump’s Ukraine initiative is his ceasefire deal in Gaza. Turkey has again played a key mediating role, as it did in talks involving Hamas.
Negotiations began nearly a month ago as American officials developed a new framework with input from Russians, Europeans and Ukrainians. Momentum increased after a senior Turkish official told Witkoff that Ukraine’s security chief Rustem Umerov was ready to meet him in Florida.
During that meeting, Umerov reportedly said Zelensky may be prepared to compromise on territory in Donetsk—a key Russian demand. He also suggested Ukraine might accept a 600,000-troop limit, though a U.S. official later said that cap could be raised or removed.
Security guarantees remain the central concern for Ukraine and Europe. Russia opposes European military presence in Ukraine after a ceasefire; as an alternative, the U.S. is considering Tomahawks, which officials believe Ukraine would not use preemptively.
Due to political instability in Ukraine, the draft proposal includes holding elections within 100 days of signing any deal, as a form of public approval or rejection. At Ukraine’s request, the U.S. also added a “full amnesty” clause for wartime actions to protect Zelensky and his government from potential future prosecution.
The draft calls for Ukraine to withdraw from around 25% of Donetsk currently under its control—matching Russia’s core demand. To reassure Kyiv, the withdrawal zone would be demilitarized, and the U.S. and allies would help build a “security wall” along the ceasefire line using advanced technology.
Zelensky’s initial response was to propose a ceasefire limited to energy infrastructure strikes. Russia rejected the idea as “unproductive.”
Zelensky now faces the most painful decision of his presidency. If he agrees to surrender territory in Donetsk, many Ukrainians may never forgive him. If he refuses, the war will continue. He may never have faced a more difficult moment, Ignatius writes.
