World leaders on Saturday expressed concern over a U.S. peace plan for Ukraine seen as favoring Russia, saying “additional work” is needed as they push for a coordinated response to the proposal.
European powers were caught off guard by the plan, which included significant concessions to Russia and was developed with little input from Ukraine or Europe.
While welcoming the US efforts, the leaders highlighted “proposed restrictions on Ukraine’s military” as an area of particular concern in the draft text.
“We reiterate that the implementation of the European Union-related elements and NATO-related elements requires the consent of EU and NATO Member States, respectively,” the statement added.
The 28-point plan calls for Ukraine to cede territory to Russia, abandon its long-standing pursuit of NATO membership and reduce the size of its military.
“The initial draft of the 28-point plan contains key elements essential to a just and lasting peace,” the statement said. “We therefore believe that the draft is the basis and that additional work will be required.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said his country faces a choice between losing its dignity or losing essential U.S. support, but President Donald Trump has given Kiev until Thursday to accept the plan.
Ukraine’s allies met on the sidelines of the G20 to discuss the proposal, which was boycotted by the United States. They had to balance pushing back against opposition to the proposal without alienating the U.S. president.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, one of the supporters of the statement, told reporters at the G20 that the war “can only end with Ukraine’s consent and our consent, the consent of Europe, because this is a war on the European continent.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed the US proposal, but said: “There is still work to be done on this plan.” He said he planned to meet with President Trump “in the coming days.”
US and Ukraine hold talks in Switzerland
Senior U.S. and Ukrainian officials are scheduled to meet in Geneva, Switzerland, on Sunday to discuss next steps toward ending the war, with one U.S. official saying the aim is to finalize words before a meeting between Zelenskyy and President Trump.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Ambassador Steve Witkoff are also scheduled to participate in tomorrow’s talks, officials said.
A meeting between the Russian delegation and the United States to discuss the proposed peace plan is also planned and “will be held soon,” the official said, but it will not be held in Geneva.
President Zelenskiy acknowledged further talks in Switzerland and said he had signed a decree on the composition of the Ukrainian delegation. “Our representatives know how to protect Ukraine’s national interests and what it takes to prevent a third Russian invasion,” he said.
National security advisers from Britain, France and Germany will meet with their Ukrainian and American counterparts in Geneva, diplomatic sources said.
Separately, a European diplomat told CNN that any future agreement “cannot involve recognition of occupation. Lines of contact should be the starting point.”
“There should be no abolition of the right to choose alliances, no restrictions on Ukraine’s armed forces, or a backdoor introduction of Russia’s demands for European security,” the diplomat said.
The diplomat, who is not closely involved in the planned Swiss talks but is familiar with EU thinking, added that “the security provisions need to be clarified” in the US proposal.
Meanwhile, European Council President António Costa announced on Saturday that he has invited all 27 EU leaders to a special meeting on Ukraine on Monday, on the sidelines of the EU-African Union summit.
This is a developing story and will be updated. CNN’s Chris Liakos, Thom Poole, Billy Stockwell and Jennifer Hansler contributed reporting.
