“A nightmare date.” How the Americans informed the allies that Zelensky must sign the deal proposed by Trump, or Ukraine will face a much worse scenario

US officials have told NATO allies that they expect to get Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to accept a peace deal in the coming days, under the threat that if Kiev does not sign, it will face a much worse deal in the future, The Guardian writes.

The Secretary of the US Army, Dan Driscoll, was in Kiev these days to present a draft peace agreement, developed by the Administration of President Donald Trump, to end Russia's war in Ukraine. Washington's 28-point plan, however, is viewed with great concern in Kiev and beyond, as it reiterates several key Russian demands: Ukraine cedes territory, including withdrawing from parts of the country's east that Russia has not conquered, reduces the size of its military, and abandons the idea of ​​joining NATO.

It was Driscoll who briefed NATO ambassadors on the US plan at a meeting in Kiev on Friday night, after previously discussing it with Zelenskiy and after a phone call from the White House.

“No deal is perfect, but it needs to be done sooner rather than later,” the US official told the ambassadors, according to a person present at the meeting, quoted by The Guardian.

The atmosphere in the room was somber, with several European ambassadors raising questions about the content of the agreement and how the US conducted negotiations with Russia without informing its allies.

“It was a nightmare meeting. It was again the 'you don't have an ace up your sleeve,'” the source said, referring to Trump's claim that Zelenskiy doesn't have enough cards to play in this war during a tense White House meeting in February.

But the agreement now on the table contains a number of provisions that will likely be unacceptable to Kiev, including the need to give up territories occupied by Russia, as well as the ceding of other territories that Kiev still controls. The agreement also suggests that there would be an amnesty for all war crimes committed during the conflict.

On Friday afternoon, President Volodymyr Zelensky sent a video message to the country, telling Ukrainians that this was “one of the most difficult moments in our history.” Ukraine faces a difficult choice, he said: “lose our dignity or lose a key ally.”

When there are “multiple cooks in the kitchen”

Dan Driscoll, a close friend of US Vice President JD Vance and who only recently took over the Ukraine war file, refused to explain whether the proposed deal corresponded to the 28-point plan that had been previously published in the press. “Some things are important, some are front and center, and we have focused more on the things that matter,” he said, according to the source cited by The Guardian.

The announcement of the US-drafted plan surprised Ukraine's other allies, who had not been briefed on its content and format. There is concern in Europe that Russia has had too much influence in negotiating this draft agreement, which is being presented to the Ukrainians as already set.

But Driscoll defended this US approach, arguing that it made the process more manageable. “President Trump wants peace now. The more cooks in the kitchen, the harder it is to manage,” the US official said, according to the source present.

“The deal won't get better, it will get worse”

Julie Davis, who is the US chargé d'affaires in Kiev, was also present at the meeting and told other diplomats that while the terms of the deal are painful for Ukraine, it has no choice but to accept or face an even tougher situation in the future. “The deal is not going to get better from here on out, it's going to get worse,” she said.

Trump wants Zelenskiy to accept the deal by Thanksgiving in the US, which is next Thursday. Earlier in the week, Davis told the media that Trump was pursuing an “aggressive timetable” to get the deal approved.

“We have witnessed an absolutely remarkable pace of diplomatic activity,” she said, speaking on the sidelines of a reception for Driscoll and the US military delegation, which was also attended by senior Ukrainian military officials, at the ambassador's residence in Kiev. She said the diplomacy was “the most ambitious” she had seen in her entire career in the diplomatic service.

Asked why Kiev should be forced to cede territory in the east that Russian troops have failed to capture for 11 years, a US official said the deal was “beneficial for Ukraine”, while predicting Trump and Zelenskiy would sit down together and sign the document “for peace”.

The plan was reportedly drawn up by Steve Witkoff, Trump's adviser, and Kirill Dmitriev, Putin's special economic emissary, a relationship that proved to be an important secret conduit between Washington and Moscow.

Driscoll is due to travel to Russia soon to discuss the plan.

On Friday evening, Vladimir Putin announced that Moscow had received a copy of the plan. “I think it can be used as a basis for a peaceful and final settlement,” he said to members of Russia's Security Council.