Trump says Zelensky will 'have to approve' US peace plan for Ukraine
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Nov. 21 that President Volodymyr Zelensky will "have to approve" a U.S.-proposed peace plan to end Russia’s war against Ukraine, adding that he has already spoken with Ukrainian representatives about the proposal.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said: "We think we have a way of getting peace. He’s going to have to approve it," adding that he thought Ukraine should have acted quicker. "...It's a cold winter and a lot of the big energy producing plants have been under attack, to put it mildly, to put it nicely."
Earlier this week, Trump approved a new 28-point peace proposal that Ukrainian officials say mirrors many of Moscow’s long-standing demands — including territorial concessions, restrictions on Ukraine’s military capabilities, and limits on its international alliances.
He described the situation in Ukraine as "horrible," citing heavy losses and ongoing attacks on energy infrastructure during the winter.
Trump claimed that Ukraine and Russia together were losing "six or seven thousand soldiers a week" and that “last month they lost 25,000 soldiers,” calling the scale of casualties unprecedented since World War II.
Zelensky addressed the nation on Nov. 21 amid growing concern over a new peace proposal.
In his address, Zelensky described the situation as “one of the most difficult” for Ukraine, acknowledging the diplomatic pressure facing the country. Without mentioning the U.S. proposal by name, he called the current circumstances “complicated” and warned of the risk of straining key strategic relationships.
"Ukraine may soon face an extremely difficult choice. Either the loss of dignity or the risk of losing a key partner. Either 28 complicated points or the hardest winter yet — and the risks that follow," Zelensky said on Telegram. "We need to pull ourselves together, stop the quarrels, stop the political games. The state must function. The parliament of a country at war must work in unity. The government must work effectively."
When asked about Zelensky’s remarks, Trump referenced what he described as a tense meeting with the Ukrainian president in February that briefly strained U.S.-Ukraine relations.
"You remember right in the Oval Office not so long ago?” Trump said. “I said you don’t have the cards."
Read the full story on Ukraine's reaction to the controversial U.S. peace plan here.
