Volodymyr Zelensky says Trump has proposed that Ukrainian troops withdraw from the Donbas and that the territory Kyiv currently controls be turned into a "free economic" or demilitarised zone. He warned the plan is not acceptable without firm guarantees that Russian forces would not simply move in after a Ukrainian pullback.
The proposal marks a shift from earlier United States suggestions that Kyiv hand over remaining parts of the Donbas directly to Russia. Zelensky said Ukraine fears Moscow could exploit the zone by disguising troops as civilians, and stressed any compromise on territory would require approval through elections or a referendum.
Withdraw from Donbas and form "free economic zone"
Under the draft plan, Ukraine would exit the Donbas while front lines in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia would freeze, and Russia would relinquish a few small pockets it controls elsewhere. Zelensky said Kyiv has submitted a revised response to Washington, with control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant still unresolved.
The pressure on Ukraine comes as Donald Trump grows increasingly impatient, urging swift agreement on a peace deal. Meanwhile, NATO's secretary general, Mark Rutte, warned that allowing Putin to prevail would heighten the risk of a wider European war.
NATO's secretary general, Mark Rutte:
"Conflict is at our door. Russia has brought war back to Europe, and we must be prepared for the scale of war our grandparents or great-grandparents endured. We need to be crystal clear about the threat. We are Russia's next target, and we are already in harm's way."