Trump gives Zelenskiy a deadline to approve the US peace plan. The Ukrainian president, under pressure and domestically

Ukraine's president is under pressure after the US signaled it expects Kiev to approve a US peace plan by Thanksgiving. Currently, “the pressure on Ukraine is among the strongest,” Zelenskiy said in a speech to the nation on Friday.

The pressure from the US comes unexpectedly after a peace plan quietly drawn up by the US administration, mainly by special envoy Steve Witkoff, was leaked and circulated in the media. After some initial confusion over the source of this leak, the US has confirmed that this is a proposal it considers viable and supports. Sources told US media that the US delegation conveyed to Kiev the Trump administration's expectation of an accelerated timetable for talks on the plan, which includes terms unacceptable to Ukraine, including ceding territories and giving up NATO membership.

Speaking on the occasion of Dignity and Freedom Day, Zelenskiy laid out the stakes of the plan in a 10-minute video speech.

“Either the 28 difficult points or an extremely hard winter. A life without freedom, without dignity, without justice. And to trust someone who has already attacked us twice.”

The speech, recorded against the backdrop of a rainy and blackout-ravaged Kiev, came as Ukraine confirmed on Thursday the receipt of a peace draft that raised concerns it would amount to Kiev's capitulation. A senior official in Kiev said Friday morning that Ukraine was reviewing the plan.

Reuters, citing “two people familiar with the situation”, reported on Friday that some parts of the strategy involved threatening to cut arms aid and intelligence crucial to defending Kiev against an invasion by Moscow.

In his speech on Friday, however, Zelenskiy said that Ukraine will defend its sovereignty and national interests. He recalled the oath he took as president in 2019, pledging to protect the country's independence and the rights of its citizens.

“For me, this is not a ceremonial formality. Every day, I honor every word of that oath. I will never betray it,” he said.

A difficult choice for the Ukrainian people

Ukraine is at a critical juncture in its fight to repel Russia's invasion, Zelenskiy said in an address to the nation on Friday. Ukrainians may be forced to choose between defending their dignity and their sovereign right to make their own choices, or losing American support.

The US plan contains many of Russian President Vladimir Putin's old demands, while offering limited security guarantees to Ukraine. It calls for ceding territory to Russia, which Zelenskiy has repeatedly ruled out, reducing the size of his army and blocking much-desired NATO membership.

Zelenskiy vowed to hold constructive talks with Washington in what he called “really one of the most difficult moments in our history.” The Ukrainian president said he spoke for nearly an hour on Friday with US Vice President JD Vance and Army Secretary Dan Driscoll about the peace plan.

US President Donald Trump said in a radio interview on Friday that he wanted an answer from Zelenskiy on his 28-point plan by Thursday, but that he would be willing to extend that deadline if necessary.

“I've given a lot of deadlines, but if things go well, you tend to extend deadlines,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News Radio's Brian Kilmeade. “But Thursday is the right day – we think it's the right time.”

Although Zelenskiy has offered to negotiate with the US and Russia, he has signaled that Ukraine may not get everything it wants and thus faces a scenario where it loses US support if it maintains its principled position.

“Currently, the pressure on Ukraine is among the strongest,” Ukrainian President Zelensky said in a recorded speech. “Ukraine may now be faced with a very difficult choice, either lose its dignity or risk losing a key partner.”

“We will work calmly with America and all partners,” he said.

He urged Ukrainians to “stop fighting” among themselves – most likely referring to the major corruption scandal that has drawn fierce criticism of the government – stressing that next week's peace talks “will be very difficult”.

Europeans are rallying around Zelenski

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer assured Zelenskiy of their “unwavering support on the path to a lasting and just peace” in Ukraine, Merz's office said.

The four leaders welcomed US efforts to end the war. “In particular, they welcomed the commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and the willingness to provide Ukraine with strong security guarantees,” the statement said.

Starmer said Ukraine's right to “determine its future under sovereign conditions is a fundamental principle”.

“Russia's war against Ukraine is an existential threat to Europe. We all want this war to end. But it matters how it ends,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said in Brussels. “Russia has no legal right to concessions from the country it invaded. Ultimately, the terms of any deal are up to Ukraine.”

In the radio interview, Trump rejected the idea that the deal, which offers numerous concessions to Russia, would encourage Putin to take further malign actions against his European neighbors.

“He's not thinking about more war,” Trump said of Putin. “He's thinking about punishment. Say what you will. I mean, this was supposed to be a one-day war that's already been going on for four years.”

A European government official said the US plans had not been formally presented to Ukraine's European supporters.

Many of the proposals are “quite worrying”, the official said, adding that a bad deal for Ukraine would also pose a threat to European security more broadly.

The Kremlin offered a reserved reaction, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying Moscow had not formally received the US proposal.

“We are noticing some innovations. But officially, we have not received anything. And there was no substantive discussion on these points,” Peskov told reporters, without elaborating.

Internal pressures too

Zelenski has faced a rebellion from lawmakers in his own party since the country's corruption watchdog revealed that $100 million was embezzled from the energy sector through bribes paid to contractors.

After the investigators released their findings, Zelenskiy fired two senior officials and imposed sanctions on former associates.

Some Ukrainian lawmakers and activists are calling on the president to fire his powerful chief of staff, Andrii Iermak.

The reason is that the latter decides key government appointments and has influence in political affairs at the top, so MPs believe they should take responsibility as a way to help restore public confidence.

Zelenskiy's Servant of the People party won more than two-thirds of parliamentary seats in 2019. But some politicians warn that a split in the party or a series of defections could see Zelenskiy lose his parliamentary majority unless he breaks with Ermak.

Many of Zelenski's political allies feel that something needs to change, even if they have not publicly expressed their concerns, said Mykola Davidiuk, an independent political expert. One of the main criticisms of Zelenskiy's government is that too much power is concentrated in the hands of Yermak and his advisers, Davidiuk said.

“Zelenski's management style is not working,” he said.

How decisively Zelenskiy reacts to the corruption scandal could determine whether the fallout will harm Ukraine's reputation among allies, Davidiuk said.

The mounting political difficulties facing Zelenskiy could test his ability to push through parliament any possible peace deal negotiated with Russia. And if he were to run for re-election after the war, his chances could be compromised if Iermak remains in the game, political analysts say.