Zelensky ready for frank talks with US to end war in Ukraine

2025-11-21 08:24:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he is ready for "honest work" with the US after receiving a draft peace plan to end the war with Russia.

Some American media outlets report that under the plan, Kiev would give up the areas of Donbas in eastern Ukraine that it still controls, reduce the size of its army and pledge not to join NATO.

It was not clear how involved Ukraine was in drafting the plan, but White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt said the US was equally engaged with both sides.

In a separate statement, Zelensky's office said Ukraine had agreed to work on the plan's provisions in a way that would bring about a just end to the war.

According to a draft of the plan, which has been published in full by the Financial Times and Axios, Ukraine's military will be limited to 600,000 personnel, but European fighter jets will be stationed in Poland.

It is said that Kiev will receive reliable security guarantees, although no further details are given.

The draft also says that Russia will be reintegrated into the global economy, through the lifting of sanctions and inviting Russia to rejoin the G7, a forum of the world's most powerful countries, making it the G8 again.

If fully confirmed, the demands in the plan would appear to favor Moscow's interests.

Zelensky said he expected to speak with US President Donald Trump in the coming days about the proposals, which also include plans for Ukraine to give up many of its weapons.

But at a White House press conference, Leavitt rejected suggestions that the plan required major concessions from Ukraine and said the US president supports it.

US special envoy Steve Witkoff and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had been quietly working on a proposal for about a month and had engaged both sides.

A senior US official, who was not identified, told CBS News that the plan was drafted shortly after discussions with one of the most senior members of President Zelensky's administration, Rustem Umerov, who agreed to most of the plan, after making some modifications, and presented it to President Zelensky./CNA, translated by BBC