France has accused the United States of pressuring Ukraine into a new peace plan that could lead to “capitulation.” The plan, jointly developed by Washington and Moscow, includes 28 points that would require Kyiv to give up territory to Russia and reduce its military strength by half. The French foreign minister, Jean-Noel Barrot, emphasized that peace should not equate to surrender and expressed opposition to Ukraine capitulating.
Criticism of the proposal intensified as European leaders, including Kaja Kallas, the top foreign diplomat of the EU, denounced the shift in focus from pressuring Russia economically to the plan’s demands on Ukraine. The proposed strategy, attributed to Donald Trump, suggests Ukraine granting de facto control of the eastern Donbas region to Russia in exchange for a ceasefire.
The peace plan, negotiated without Ukrainian involvement, also mandates a reduction in Ukraine’s armed forces, bans long-range missiles, hinders foreign troop deployments, stops US military aid, and limits diplomatic flights into the country. Additionally, the plan would elevate Russian as an official state language and grant formal status to the Russian Orthodox Church in occupied areas.
Ukrainian officials, notably President Volodymyr Zelensky, vehemently opposed the proposal, rejecting the idea of conceding the mineral-rich Donbas and fortified cities to Russia. Foreign Office minister Hamish Falconer emphasized that negotiations should commence at the current contact line, underscoring that borders must not be redrawn through force.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the American approach, stating that achieving a lasting peace necessitates difficult concessions. European leaders emphasized the importance of Ukrainian and European involvement in any peace efforts and called for discussions to start with a ceasefire along the contact line.
While Western officials believe the plan mirrors demands made by Vladimir Putin during a summit with Trump in Alaska, the Kremlin insists that any peace agreement must address the root causes of the conflict. Despite contact with the US, no formal negotiations were reported, and a Pentagon delegation led by US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll visited Ukraine for talks with Zelensky.
European diplomats expressed frustration at being excluded from discussions, though some viewed the US’s involvement as a positive sign of engagement. Plans for a follow-up meeting in Budapest were canceled after Washington assessed that Moscow had not shifted its stance.