EU Warns Any Ukraine Peace Plan Must Include Kyiv as Reports Emerge of U.S.-Russia Proposal

KYIV, Ukraine – Thursday – Top European diplomats said Ukraine and Europe must be consulted on any initiative to end Russia’s invasion, amid reports of a U.S.-Russian proposal that would require major concessions from Kyiv. The discussions come as corruption allegations shake Ukraine’s government and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy seeks to sustain European support while confronting Russia’s larger military.

Secret Plan Reports Add Pressure on Kyiv

Reports first published by Axios describe a proposal that, according to a person familiar with the matter, would force Ukraine to cede territory and abandon certain weaponry, alongside a rollback of some critical U.S. military assistance. As part of the plan, Russia would gain effective control over the entire eastern Donbas region, despite Ukraine still holding part of that territory. The proposal was drafted by Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Kirill Dmitriev, a close adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the person said.

It was not immediately clear whether the European Union’s foreign ministers – meeting in Brussels – had seen the plan reportedly drawn up by U.S. and Russian envoys. Such an arrangement would be highly contentious in Kyiv; Ukraine’s constitution prohibits ceding territory, and Zelenskyy has repeatedly ruled out land swaps with Russia since the full-scale invasion began nearly four years ago.

Key Reactions at a Glance

• EU stance: Calls for full Ukrainian and European participation in any talks.
• U.S. messaging: Washington officials emphasize pursuit of a settlement but provide no confirmation of the reported plan.
• Kremlin line: Moscow says no formal consultations with the U.S. are underway.
• On the ground: Senior U.S. Army officials, including Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, visit Kyiv to assess conditions and support peace efforts.

Europe Insists on Being at the Table

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas underscored that the continent must be part of any peace initiative. “For any plan to work, it needs Ukrainians and Europeans on board,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said at the start of a meeting in Brussels of the 27-nation bloc’s foreign ministers.

German officials reinforced that message. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said that “all negotiations about a ceasefire, regarding the further peaceful development of Ukraine, can only be discussed and negotiated with Ukraine. And Europe will have to be included.”

Poland, a key backer of Kyiv, highlighted the security stakes for Europe. “We commend peace efforts, but Europe is the main supporter of Ukraine and it’s, of course, Europe’s security that’s at stake. So we expect to be consulted,” said Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski.

U.S. and Russian Signals on Peace Efforts

White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller declined to comment on Wednesday on reports about the proposal but underscored Trump wants “to reach a settlement in the Ukraine-Russia war, so that we can have peace in Europe and we can end the killing and the slaughter of so many innocents.” The Trump administration’s diplomatic efforts this year have yet to produce results, even as senior U.S. military officials arrived in Kyiv on Thursday to give fresh impetus to peace efforts and review battlefield realities, according to U.S. officials.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on social platform X late Wednesday that American officials “are and will continue to develop a list of potential ideas” for a lasting peace agreement which “will require both sides to agree to difficult but necessary concessions.”

From Moscow, the Kremlin downplayed any formal process with Washington. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday that there “there are no consultations per se currently underway” with the U.S. on ending the war in Ukraine. “There are certainly contacts, but processes that could be called consultations are not underway,” he told reporters.

EU Accuses Russia of Insincerity as Civilian Toll Mounts

European leaders have expressed concern that the Trump administration might be sidelining EU partners and Zelenskyy in efforts to halt the fighting, while also accusing Putin of signaling interest in peace without making concessions as Russia pursues a war of attrition.

Kallas pointed to continuing attacks on civilian infrastructure, a day after a strike on the western city of Ternopil killed 26 people and injured 93 others, with about two dozen still missing. Kallas said that “if Russia really wanted peace, it could have … agreed to (an) unconditional ceasefire already some time ago.”

Uncertainty Over High-Level Backing

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen noted doubts about whether the reported plan had the endorsement of U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin. “First and foremost, we have to find out whether it is really the big boys who (are) behind this plan or not,” he said. “I have listened to all the rumors (and) we have to really find out what is up and what is down.”

European Leverage and Aid Dynamics

With direct U.S. military aid to Ukraine halted, European countries have stepped in by purchasing weaponry for Kyiv from the United States – a shift that increases Europe’s leverage in shaping any potential settlement. The reported plan’s provisions – including ceding territory in Donbas and scaling back U.S. assistance – are expected to be deeply unpopular in Ukraine and face legal barriers under Ukrainian law.

Conclusion: Next Steps and Open Questions

Whether the reported proposal advances remains unclear, with the Kremlin denying formal consultations and EU officials demanding a seat at the table alongside Kyiv. As senior U.S. military officials visit Ukraine and European leaders push for transparency, the central questions persist: Will any plan involve Ukraine and Europe directly, and can it meet Kyiv’s constitutional constraints while addressing the war’s ongoing human toll?