TL;DR
-
A secret US-negotiated peace plan with Russia reportedly includes significant concessions from Ukraine, such as surrendering Donetsk and Luhansk regions and reducing armed forces to 40% of current levels.
-
Ukraine was not involved in the negotiations or informed of specific details, leading to prominent criticisms from Ukrainian officials regarding the plan’s feasibility.
-
Key US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have downplayed the reports, emphasising that any valid peace accord must involve direct Ukrainian approval.
Ukraine war latest: Trump ‘approves secret peace plan’ as US officials visit Kyiv – but were Ukrainians cut out of talks? | World News
It’s just gone 1pm in the UK and Western capitals have been abuzz this morning over reports that the US has negotiated a secret peace plan with Russia, which would include some major concessions on behalf of Ukraine.
If you’re just joining us, here’s what we know so far about the plan and its circumstances, in one post.
Who negotiated it?
Donald Trump has approved the plan this week, our partner NBC News reported overnight, citing US government sources.
Negotiations were apparently held in secret and included the following figures:
- Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy;
- JD Vance, the US vice president;
- Marco Rubio, US secretary of state;
- Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law;
- Kirill Dmitriev, a Putin ally and manager of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund.
What about Ukraine?
Ukraine did not take part in shaping the proposed peace plan and was not briefed on details, but was informed of the broad contours, NBC News reported.
What’s reportedly in the peace plan?
Details of the plan are yet to be confirmed, but several news organisations, including Reuters, the FT, the Economist, the Wall Street Journal and Axios, reported that it may include the following aspects:
- Ukraine would have to surrender the entirety of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, which Russia doesn’t yet control;
- It would also have to give up several classes of weapons;
- And it would be required to reduce the size of its armed forces, reportedly to 40% of current levels;
- It must also ban foreign troops;
- And recognise Russian as an official language;
- The Kremlin would promise not to attack Ukraine and Europe;
- In return, Ukraine and Europe would receive US security guarantees.
How have the key players reacted?
Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, appeared to downplay the reports. He said in a statement that ending the war requires an “extensive exchange of serious and realistic ideas”, the list of which would continue to be developed.
Witkoff accidentally appeared to have posted on social media about the reports, saying Axios “must have got this from K”, before deleting the post on X.
The Kremlin has been tight-lipped, saying today it had nothing new to add and would not say whether Vladimir Putin was briefed on the plan.
UK and EU officials, including Brussels’ foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, saidany peace plan needs to be approved by Ukraine and Europeans.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy hasn’t commented directly, but said yesterday in Turkey that only Trump has the power to end the war.
A leading MP from his party, Oleksandr Merezhko, told Sky News the reported plan was the “weirdest ever” and “absolutely unrealistic”.
Watch below: Merezhko speaks to Sky News
What’s next?
Our US correspondent Mark Stone said the plan is being presented to the Ukrainians at the military level.
This comes just as a senior US military delegation is in Ukraine for talks about ending the war (see 10.28 post) and is also due to meet Zelenskyy today.
Watch Stone’s analysis below…