World leaders on Saturday expressed concern over a US peace plan for Ukraine seen as favoring Russia, saying it needs “additional work” as they scramble a coordinated response to the proposal.
European powers have been caught off guard by the plan which accommodates main concessions to Russia and was drawn up with little input from Ukraine or Europe.
While welcoming the US efforts, the leaders highlighted the “proposed limitations on Ukraine’s armed forces” within the draft doc as a selected areas of fear.
“We reiterate that the implementation of elements relating to the European Union and relating to NATO would need the consent of EU and NATO members respectively,” the assertion added.
The 28-point plan requires Ukraine to cede territory to Russia, abandon its long-held pursuit of NATO membership and reduce the dimensions of the military.
“The initial draft of the 28-point plan includes important elements that will be essential for a just and lasting peace,” the assertion stated. “We imagine due to this fact that the draft is a foundation which would require further work.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated the nation confronted the selection of dropping its dignity or important US help however Donald Trump has given Kyiv till Thursday to simply accept the plan.
Still, Trump stated that the peace plan isn’t the ultimate provide to finish the battle with Russia.
“No, not my final offer,” Trump advised reporters on the White House South Lawn on Saturday. “We’d like to get to peace. It should’ve happened a long time ago.”
Ukraine’s allies met on the sidelines of the G20 to debate the proposal, a summit which the US boycotted. They have needed to stability pushing again in opposition to the proposals with out alienating the US president.
One of these behind the assertion, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz advised reporters on the G20 the battle can “only be ended with the consent of Ukraine and also with our consent, the European consent, because it is a war on the European continent.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed the US proposal however stated there’s “more to do on the plan.”
Starmer spoke with Trump and agreed to work on the peace proposal, Downing Street stated on Saturday.
He additionally had a dialog with Zelensky, which “covered many nuances of diplomatic work in planning the peace process,” the Ukrainian chief stated.
US-Ukraine talks in Switzerland
Top US and Ukrainian officers will meet Sunday in Geneva, Switzerland, to debate the subsequent steps for ending the battle, with one US official saying that the purpose was to iron out language earlier than Zelensky meets with Trump.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Ambassador Steve Witkoff can be amongst these becoming a member of the talks tomorrow, the official stated.
A gathering between a Russian delegation and the US to debate the proposed peace plan can also be deliberate and “will happen quickly,” the official stated, however not in Geneva.
Zelensky acknowledged the upcoming discussions in Switzerland, saying he had signed a decree on the composition of the Ukrainian delegation. “Our representatives know how to defend Ukraine’s national interests and what is needed to prevent Russia from carrying out a third invasion,” he stated.
British, French and German nationwide safety advisers will meet with their Ukrainian and US counterparts in Geneva, in line with a diplomatic supply.
Separately, European diplomat advised NCS that any future deal “cannot entail recognition of occupation. The contact line should be a point of departure.”
“There should no removal of the right to choose alliances, no cap on Ukraine’s armed forces, or back door introduction of Russia’s demands on European security,” the diplomat stated.
The diplomat, who isn’t intimately concerned within the deliberate Switzerland talks however is conversant in EU pondering, added that the US proposal’s clause “on security guarantees needs to be clarified.”
Meanwhile, European Council President António Costa stated Saturday that he had invited all 27 EU leaders to a “special meeting on Ukraine” on Monday, as a consequence of happen on the margins of the EU-African Union summit.