Ukraine and the EU reveal their cards. The redacted peace plan will be sent to the US, and Trump turns up his nose
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is visiting Rome, stated on Tuesday on X that his country and representatives of European countries are ready to present the “Ukrainian and European elements” of the peace plan to the United States. In turn, Donald Trump said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “must start accepting” peace proposals because he is losing the war.
The Ukrainian leader wrote: “We discussed with our negotiating team the result of yesterday's work in London, which was carried out at the level of national security advisers of our European partners. This was agreed yesterday at the level of leaders.”
We are working very actively on all elements of potential steps to end the war. The Ukrainian and European elements are now very developed and we are ready to present them to our partners in the US, President Zelensky announced.
He declared: “We are committed to real peace and maintaining constant contact with the USA. As our partners in the negotiating teams rightly noted, everything depends on whether Russia is ready to take effective steps to stop the bloodshed and prevent the war from re-flaring. We will be ready to send redacted documents to the United States in the near future.”
On Monday, talks were held in London between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The topic of the meeting was the US efforts to reach a peace agreement in Russia's war with Ukraine. Zelensky announced that day that on Tuesday Ukraine would present the United States with an updated peace plan aimed at ending the war with Russia. He added that this plan contains 20 points, but no compromise has yet been reached on the territories.
On the next day of European consultations, the Ukrainian leader met on Tuesday with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. He also talked with Pope Leo XIV.
Before meeting Giorgia, Meloni declared that he trusted her regarding peace negotiations. Zelensky's words were published in the daily newspapers “La Repubblica” and “Il Messaggero”.
Zelensky also said on Tuesday in Rome that he is always ready for elections. This is how he responded to the words of US President Donald Trump, who accused him of using the war to not call the elections.
Trump for Politico: Zelensky must start accepting proposals because he is losing
In an interview with Politico conducted on Monday and published on Tuesday, Trump repeated his previous statements that cAlthough Zelensky's advisers “really liked” the latest US peace proposals, Zelensky himself has not read them yet.
You know, a lot of people die. So it would be really good if he read it. His men were delighted with this proposal. They really liked it. His deputies, his people in positions of power, liked it, but said he hadn't read it yet. “I think he should make time for it,” Trump said.
Zelensky referred to the US proposal on Monday, talking about progress in the talks, but signaling the lack of agreement on territorial issues and announcing the presentation of a counterproposal.
When asked by Ukrainian Politico journalist Dasha Burns about the words of his son, who recently suggested that the US might abandon attempts to bring about peace, Trump said they're “not true,” but not entirely wrong either. When asked about the possibility if Zelensky rejects his proposals, Trump replied:
– Well, he's going to have to get down to business and start, um, accepting things. You know when you lose because he loses… – Trump said, without finishing the sentence. He later added that Ukraine lost a lot of land – good land – and he wouldn't call this situation a win.
– I give great respect to the people of Ukraine and the Ukrainian military for, you know, courage, fighting and so on. But you know, at some point size will win out, generally speaking, he said.
Trump also answered affirmatively to the journalist's question whether Ukraine should hold the presidential elections, suspended due to the ongoing martial law.
– They are using the war to not organize electionsbut, well, I think the Ukrainian people… should have that choice. And maybe Zelensky would win. I don't know who would win. But there have been no elections for a long time. You know, they talk about democracy, but it's getting to the point where it's not democracy anymore, said the US president.
He also criticized European leaders, sarcastically claiming that they were ready to support Ukraine “until they fall.”
They don't do anything. We are talking about Ukraine. They talk but do nothing. And the war goes on and on, he concluded.
When asked about the wording in the new National Security Strategy about stopping NATO expansion, Trump said that “there really aren't many countries left” that could be accepted and claimed that there had long been an understanding – even before Vladimir Putin came to power – that Ukraine would not join the Alliance.
Trump once again suggested that his predecessor Joe Biden and Zelensky himself are responsible for Russian aggression.
– When Zelensky first came and met with Putin, he said: I want two things. I want Crimea back and we will be a member of NATO. He didn't say it in a very nice way either, Trump said. He said that Zelensky is “the greatest salesman in history” and compared him to the 19th-century showman PT Barnum, known for fraud and running a traveling circus.
– He (Barnum) could sell any product at any time (…) He said, “It doesn't matter if it works or not.” Well, but he (Zelensky) is PT Barnum. He… forced the corrupt Joe Biden to give him $350 billion. And look what it got him… he got. About 25 percent of his country is gone, Trump said.
“FT”: The US gave Zelensky a few days to respond to the proposed peace agreement
US President Donald Trump's envoys gave Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a few days to respond to the American proposal for a peace agreement, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday, citing officials familiar with the details of the talks.
According to the newspaper, the president of Ukraine informed the leaders of European countries that on Saturday, during a two-hour telephone conversation, Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and the US president's son-in-law Jared Kushner pressed him to make a decision quickly.
A person with knowledge of the details of the timetable proposed to Zelensky said the American leader hopes to conclude a ceasefire agreement “before Christmas.”
“FT” recalled that under the proposed agreement, Kiev would have to accept territorial losses in exchange for unspecified security guarantees from the United States.
According to the sources, Zelensky told US envoys that he needed time to consult with European allies before reacting to Washington's proposal.
In the opinion of a Western official quoted by the FT, “the Ukrainian side is torn between territorial demands that it cannot accept and the demands of the American side that it cannot reject.” At the same time, “Kiev fears that this situation may lead to the breakdown of Western unity if the US takes further actions without the support of Europe,” the daily wrote.
The President of Ukraine met on Monday in London with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. After these talks, he went to Brussels, where he met with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte. On Tuesday, he went to Rome, where he met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and talked with Pope Leo XIV.
Zelensky wrote on Tuesday on X that “very active” work is underway on the elements of an agreement to end the war. He assured that “the Ukrainian and European elements (of the agreement – PAP) are now very developed and we are ready to present them to our partners in the US.”
Marta Zabłocka from London
Costa: The EU summit will last until we find money for Ukraine
Heads of state and government will gather for a summit in Brussels on December 18. In an invitation sent to the leaders of the Twenty-Seven on Tuesday, Costa announced that the meeting would begin with a conversation with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky.
In the letter, the head of the European Council recalled that at the summit in October, leaders committed to meeting Ukraine's urgent financial needs in 2026-2027. “At our next meeting, we must decide – based on ongoing preparatory work – how to implement this commitment,” Costa wrote.
Although EU summits in previous years usually lasted two days, the Portuguese usually shortens them to one day after taking over as president of the European Council. This time, however, it may be different.
As usual, I will try to limit our meeting to one day. However, my main priority is to obtain results on the important decisions we need to take, namely on financing for Ukraine, he stressed.
– I think we are very close to finding a solution and that we will make a decision on December 18, Costa repeated on Tuesday at a press conference with Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin. However, he added, if necessary, leaders will continue on December 19 or even 20 – “until a positive solution is reached”.
The European Commission last week presented a legislative proposal to establish a reparations loan for Ukraine using frozen Russian assets. The proposal was rejected by Belgium, home to the Euroclear clearing house that holds most of Russian deposits. Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever believes that the EC did not sufficiently protect his country's interests in the event of the need to return the money.
However, the EC wants to establish a reparation loan by a regulation that will require the consent of a qualified majority (15 countries constituting at least 65% of the population), and not unanimity among the capitals. Belgium will therefore not be able to veto this solution if it maintains its opposition.
– We are working to refine a legal and technical solution that could be accepted by at least a qualified majority of member states, Costa emphasized on Tuesday at a press conference.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk appealed for the establishment of a reparation loan on Monday, together with the leaders of Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Lithuania, Latvia and Sweden.
“Time is of the essence. By deciding on a reparations loan at the EU summit in December, we have the opportunity to strengthen Ukraine's position in its defense and put it in a better position to negotiate a just and lasting peace” – the leaders wrote to Costa and Ursula von der Leyen, head of the European Commission.
On Friday, von der Leyen, together with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, tried to convince de Wever at a meeting in Brussels. However, the meeting ended without a handshake.
The International Monetary Fund estimates Ukraine's needs for the next two years at EUR 135 billion.
Magdalena Cedro from Brussels. Oskar Górzyński from Washington
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