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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday that the proposed plan to end the war between Moscow and Kyiv has been reduced from 28 to 20 points, with “non-Ukrainian” elements removed, but no agreement has been reached on territorial issues.
“There were 28 points, now there are 20. We have aligned this direction and quite frankly, the non-Ukrainian points have been removed,” Zelenskyy told reporters, as quoted by Interfax-Ukraine.
“The mood of the Americans, in principle, is for finding a compromise. Of course, there are complex issues related to the territory. A compromise has not yet been found there.”
Zelenskyy made the comments while in London for high-level talks with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The leaders discussed the U.S.-brokered peace proposals and stressed the need for a united European stance ahead of upcoming negotiations.
Ukraine’s European allies expressed support for Zelenskyy but voiced skepticism over parts of the American plan. Merz said, “I'm sceptical about some of the details which we are seeing in the documents coming from the U.S. side, but we have to talk about it. That's why we are here.”
Macron added that the “main issue” is finding “convergence” between the European and Ukrainian positions and that of the United States.
Starmer, hosting the leaders at 10 Downing Street, said he would not pressure Zelenskyy to accept the Trump-backed plan. “The most important thing is to ensure that if there is a cessation of hostilities, and I hope there is, it has to be just and it has to be lasting.”
Zelenskyy emphasized that U.S. and European cooperation is critical. “There are some things which we can't manage without Americans, things which we can't manage without Europe, and that's why we need to make some important decisions,” he said before the meeting.
In an online press conference following the talks, Zelenskyy said Kyiv would not agree to cede any territory under the current U.S. plan.
“We have no legal right to do so, under Ukrainian law, our constitution and international law. And we don't have any moral right either,” he said.
An official familiar with the negotiations told AFP that territorial issues remain “the most problematic” point in the discussions.
The Trump administration is seeking to move forward with the second phase of a peace initiative launched earlier this year. The first round of talks between Ukrainian and U.S. officials in Miami ended Saturday without a breakthrough but with a commitment to further talks.
Zelenskyy also confirmed he is considering appointing Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal or First Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov as head of the President’s Office.
“I have options for Minister Shmyhal or Minister Fedorov, but there is a challenge here because the Rada (parliament) must remove them before they are appointed, and we don’t want it to be like in this game of Jenga, when you pull out one piece and everything falls apart,” he said.
Trump criticized Zelenskyy on Sunday, saying he was “a little bit disappointed” the Ukrainian leader had not yet read the full U.S. proposal, “as of a few hours ago.”
Zelenskyy, however, said Saturday he had joined a “very substantive and constructive” call with U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who are leading the American effort. He said the sides agreed “on the next steps and the format of the talks with America.”
Witkoff and Kushner also met Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin last week. Moscow has since rejected several parts of the U.S. proposal.
Macron, ahead of the meeting, denounced Russia’s “escalatory path,” writing on X that the West must “continue to exert pressure on Russia to compel it to choose peace.”
European officials said new rounds of EU and U.S. sanctions are beginning to hurt Russia’s economy, giving Ukraine added leverage as negotiations continue.
The leaders also discussed how frozen Russian assets in Europe could potentially be used to support Ukraine’s war effort. Last week, Moscow’s ambassador to Germany warned that such action would have “far-reaching consequences” for the EU.
Washington’s initial plan reportedly includes Ukraine relinquishing territory Russia failed to capture militarily, in exchange for security guarantees short of NATO membership. Details of those guarantees remain vague, though one draft floated the possibility of basing Western fighter jets in Poland for Ukraine’s defense.
Trump, who has taken varying positions on Ukraine since returning to office in January, has recently imposed sanctions on Russian oil firms after expressing frustration over lack of progress in ending the war.
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