A new American proposal aimed at ending the war in Ukraine has placed Kyiv in a highly sensitive diplomatic situation — torn between maintaining support from its most critical ally, the United States, and avoiding concessions to Russia, the country that invaded it nearly four years ago.

The 28-point plan was drafted jointly by the Trump administration and the Kremlin, without Ukraine’s participation. It incorporates several Russian demands that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has explicitly rejected many times, including surrendering large portions of Ukrainian territory.

Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed the proposal on Friday, saying it “could serve as the foundation of a final peace agreement,” provided the U.S. persuades Ukraine and its European partners to accept it.

In his nightly address on Thursday, Zelenskyy adopted a diplomatic tone, saying Ukraine needs a peace that prevents Russia from attacking again. He said Kyiv would consult with both the EU and the U.S.

Below are the plan’s major components and the context around them.

Territorial concessions

THE PROPOSAL:
The document claims to affirm Ukraine’s sovereignty but simultaneously calls for Crimea and the Donetsk and Luhansk regions to be recognized — even by the United States — as effectively Russian territory. It also states that the front lines in the partially occupied Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions would become fixed borders.

Since Russia does not fully control Donetsk and Luhansk, Ukraine would effectively be expected to withdraw from areas where Russian forces haven’t managed to advance. This pullback zone would become a demilitarized buffer internationally recognized as belonging to Russia.

The plan also says Russia would give up other occupied areas outside the five regions, possibly referring to parts of Sumy and Kharkiv, though specifics remain unclear.

THE CONTEXT:
Zelenskyy has repeatedly insisted that Ukraine will never accept the loss of any territory.

Oleksandr Merezhko, head of Ukraine’s parliamentary foreign affairs committee, noted that the plan contradicts itself — claiming to respect Ukrainian sovereignty while proposing measures that undermine it.
He suggested the proposal might be part of Trump’s negotiating style: “Start with something outrageous, then move to something more moderate.”

Security guarantees

THE PROPOSAL:
Ukraine would be required to amend its constitution to permanently renounce NATO membership. NATO, in turn, would formally agree not to admit Ukraine. Ukraine’s armed forces would be capped at 600,000 troops, and NATO countries would be barred from stationing forces in Ukraine — limiting Kyiv’s right to choose its security partners.

On the European Union, the plan offers Ukraine temporary preferential access to EU markets while it works to meet reform benchmarks, including anti-corruption measures.

The document mentions security guarantees from Western partners but does not specify what form these would take or how the U.S. would ensure Russia would not invade again.

THE CONTEXT:
Zelenskyy has consistently argued that full NATO membership is the most effective and least costly way to guarantee Ukraine’s safety. Trump has made clear that NATO membership for Ukraine is no longer an option.

NATO’s 32 members said last year that Ukraine’s path to joining the alliance is “irreversible,” but some countries — led by the U.S. — have hesitated to move forward during an active war.

NATO expansion

THE PROPOSAL:
Russia would pledge not to attack neighboring countries, while NATO would commit to halting further enlargement.

THE CONTEXT:
NATO operates by consensus, and the U.S. — while the most influential member — has pulled back under Trump. The alliance is one of the only places where U.S. military policy is subject to negotiation with other states.

Accountability for Russian actions

THE PROPOSAL:
Ukraine would drop all attempts to hold Russia legally responsible for its actions during the war.

THE CONTEXT:
This would prevent thousands of Ukrainians from pursuing justice or compensation. U.N. experts have determined that Russia’s torture of civilians and prisoners constitutes crimes against humanity.

Analyst Volodymyr Fesenko warned that agreeing to the plan would be “disastrous” for Zelenskyy but acknowledged that Kyiv may face intense pressure from Washington. He added that some demands — such as neutrality or granting Russian official-language status — would require constitutional amendments, which only parliament, not Zelenskyy alone, can enact.

Fesenko suggested a referendum could be one possible compromise.

Russia’s frozen assets

THE PROPOSAL:
Russia would allow $100 billion of its frozen assets to be used for Ukraine’s reconstruction.

THE CONTEXT:
Moscow has harshly denounced any attempt to use its frozen assets. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned last month that anyone who tries to take or use Russian funds “will be prosecuted” and “held accountable.”