US President Donald Trump has expressed public disappointment with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, claiming the Ukrainian leader has yet to personally review the American-brokered peace proposal aimed at ending the war with Russia.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, President Trump suggested that while the Russian side is “fine” with the deal, and even Zelenskyy’s own team supports it, the Ukrainian President is “not ready” to engage with the document.
The Miami Diplomatic Push
Trump’s comments follow a flurry of high-level diplomatic activity last week.
The talks involved US envoys—including special envoy Steve Witkoff and advisor Jared Kushner—shuttling between Moscow and a Ukrainian delegation in Miami, Florida.
- Constructive Talks: Just hours before Trump’s remarks, President Zelenskyy had publicly stated that his phone call with the US envoys, following the delegation talks, had been “substantive” and that they covered “key points” to ensure an end to the conflict.
- Awaiting Briefing: Zelenskyy noted he was awaiting a “detailed in-person report” from his senior negotiators, Rustem Umerov and Andrii Hnatov, to fully understand the results of the talks.
- Trump’s Critique: Despite the Ukrainian team’s participation, Trump claimed, “I have to say that I’m a little bit disappointed that President Zelenskyy hasn’t yet read the proposal, that was as of a few hours ago. His people love it… but he is not ready.”
Conflicting Reports on the Proposal
The core issue lies in the contents of the American-authored 28-point proposal, which has not been officially released but has been widely leaked and analyzed.
Reports suggest the plan contains several points that Ukraine has consistently rejected:
- Territorial Cessions: The draft reportedly calls for Ukraine to cede the entirety of Crimea, Luhansk, and Donetsk to Russia and freeze the front lines in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, effectively formalizing Russia’s control over significant occupied territory.
- Military Limits: It is also reported to include a provision that would cap the size of the Ukrainian military and require Ukraine to enshrine in its constitution that it will not join NATO.
While the Kremlin has described the plan as a “constructive basis” for resolution, the proposed terms are viewed by many in Kyiv and allied European capitals as heavily favoring Moscow.
For President Zelenskyy, who has repeatedly vowed not to betray Ukraine’s territorial integrity, signing such a deal presents a profound political and moral dilemma.
The Stakes: Territory and US Support
The ongoing diplomatic pressure highlights the difficult position Ukraine faces.
President Trump has been openly critical of the cost of the war and has previously urged Ukraine to consider ceding land to end the conflict quickly.
With the US now pushing aggressively for a rapid conclusion to the fighting, Kyiv finds itself in a precarious situation: balance its sovereign claim over its territory against the need to preserve essential American political and military support.
Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet with European leaders in London this week, where the US proposal and the future of military and financial aid are expected to be the central topics of discussion.
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