--- title: Trump's Plan to End Russia-Ukraine War—Zelensky's Response description: Zelensky in a filmed public address on Friday said his country has been met with "one of the most difficult moments" in its history. canonical: https://time.com/7335666/trump-plan-to-end-russia-ukraine-war-zelensky-response/ author: Callum Sutherland article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2025-11-21T13:12:28.000Z article:modified_time: 2025-11-21T21:41:41.000Z article:section: Politics og:title: Trump's New Plan to End the Russia-Ukraine War og:description: Zelensky has emphasized the need for a "real" and "dignified peace"—one that "will not be broken by a third invasion." og:url: https://time.com/7335666/trump-plan-to-end-russia-ukraine-war-zelensky-response/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt47030f6ea063c353/6998cbd983ec37615ac7b269/GettyImages-2246877299.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 4500 og:image:height: 2531 og:image:alt: Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky speaks at a press og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Trump's New Plan to End the Russia-Ukraine War twitter:description: Zelensky has emphasized the need for a "real" and "dignified peace"—one that "will not be broken by a third invasion." twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt47030f6ea063c353/6998cbd983ec37615ac7b269/GettyImages-2246877299.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Zelensky Says Ukraine Faces Losing Dignity as Trump Issues Deadline to Sign His New Peace Plan > Sponsored content. 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Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. by [Callum Sutherland](https://time.com/author/callum-sutherland/) ## Callum Sutherland Reporter Updated: Nov 21, 2025 9:41 PM UTCPublished: Nov 21, 2025 1:12 PM UTC  Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky Alberto Gardin—© 2025 SOPA Images by [Callum Sutherland](https://time.com/author/callum-sutherland/) ## Callum Sutherland Reporter Updated: Nov 21, 2025 9:41 PM UTCPublished: Nov 21, 2025 1:12 PM UTC Ukrainian [President Volodymyr Zelensky](https://time.com/7270880/zelensky-trump-putin-ukraine-endgame-interview/) in a [filmed public address](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0e4FnnIX7s) on Friday said his country has been met with "one of the most difficult moments" in its history as it faces a "choice" between losing its dignity or a key partner, the United States. Zelensky's comments come as President [Donald Trump](https://time.com/7327689/trump-israel-gaza-deal-interview-transcript/) has given him a deadline to respond to his Administration's 28-point proposal to end the Russia-Ukraine war. [Speaking to Fox News Radio](https://radio.foxnews.com/fox-news-talk/brian-kilmeade/), Trump said Zelensky has until the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday—Nov. 27—to provide an answer to his peace plan, citing this as "an appropriate \[amount of\] time." He said that an extension may well be granted, if talks are "going well." The widely-leaked plan, unveiled on Thursday, is said to propose Kyiv reduce its army and make land concessions—something Ukraine has previously staunchly ruled out as a possibility. In his interview with Fox on Friday morning, Trump argued that Ukraine is already "losing land" and would likely lose that land "in a short period of time" anyway, if the conflict were to continue. “We’re in it for one thing, we want the killing to stop… It’s a bloodbath,” said Trump of the war, which was triggered [when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022](https://time.com/6256509/ukraine-russia-war-anniversary/). Meanwhile, Zelensky—who has, at times, [shared a contentious history with Trump](https://time.com/7263291/zelensky-trump-oval-office-showdown-us-ukraine-world-leaders-react/)—said he is determined to find a way to "work calmly with America and all partners." Emphasizing that he won't betray his country's national interests, Zelensky said he will be "making arguments... offering alternatives" as he aims to lead a "constructive search for solutions." He also reminded the public of the oath he took upon being sworn in as Ukraine's leader in 2019: "I, Volodymyr Zelensky, elected by the will of the people as the President of Ukraine, undertake to defend the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine with all my actions, uphold the rights and freedoms of citizens." Later on Friday, Zelensky said he had spent almost an hour [speaking with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance](https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1991906779760898073) and Secretary of the U.S. Army Dan Driscoll about how to achieve a "dignified" and "lasting" peace. "We agreed to work together with the U.S. and Europe at the level of national security advisors to make the path to peace truly doable," Zelensky said. "We agreed to maintain constant contact, and our teams are ready to work 24/7." The Ukrainian President went on to express his gratitude for Trump’s "desire to put an end to the bloodshed." Zelensky also discussed the U.S.-penned proposal with various allies including French President Emmanuel Macron, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and [NATO's Secretary General Mark Rutte](https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1991915577485504826). Throughout his updates and public addresses, Zelensky has reiterated the need for a “real and dignified peace”—one that “will not be broken by a third invasion,” with terms that “respect our independence, our sovereignty, and the independence of the Ukrainian people.” In a statement shared with TIME on Friday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said: "Any deal must provide full security guarantees and deterrence for Ukraine, Europe, and Russia to ensure the end of the war, in addition to financial opportunities for Ukraine to rebuild, and for Russia to rejoin the global economy, to benefit the people in both countries." Leavitt added that the plan was formed "to find the best win-win scenario, where both parties gain more than they must give." Trump's draft proposal, [a copy](https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-trump-plan-92b2c89b62f4326ff67abc5613c9b59e) of which has been published by the Associated Press, comes after meetings between U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and his Russian counterpart, Kirill Dmitriev. The plan shuts down a long-time aim of Zelensky's as it reportedly includes a pledge that Ukraine won’t join NATO. Ukraine’s pursuit for NATO membership has been widely documented and is a point of contention for Russia. At the annual [NATO Summit in June](https://time.com/7297698/nato-2025-summit-trump-iran-ukraine-defense-topics/), Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, said: “NATO has no business in Ukraine. Ukraine is not a member of NATO, neither Russia, my job is to keep it as it is.” Trump’s new plan also reportedly states that a dialogue will be held between Russia and NATO, mediated by the U.S., to resolve security issues and that no troops from the western security alliance will be stationed in Ukraine. The proposal further suggests that $100 billion in frozen Russian assets be invested in U.S.-led efforts to rebuild Ukraine. In August, Trump warned Zelensky to give up on the idea of Ukraine reclaiming Crimea or joining NATO. “President Zelensky of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight,” Trump [said](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115047128460078066) via Truth Social, stating there was “no getting back” Crimea and “no going into NATO by Ukraine.” Ahead of the new proposal leaking, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio insisted on Wednesday that "a durable peace will require both sides to agree to difficult but necessary concessions." "Ending a complex and deadly war such as the one in Ukraine requires an extensive exchange of serious and realistic ideas," he argued. "That is why we are and will continue to develop a list of potential ideas for ending this war based on input from both sides of this conflict." **Read More**: [_Zelensky on Trump, Putin, and the Endgame in Ukraine_](https://time.com/7270880/zelensky-trump-putin-ukraine-endgame-interview/) European officials have since responded to the draft proposal, urging that Ukraine be at the center of any discussions moving forward. “We are supportive of any plan that brings about a just and lasting peace,” said [Kaja Kallas](https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/opening-remarks-eu-high-representative-kaja-kallas-4th-indo-pacific-ministerial-forum%5Fen), the E.U. high representative for foreign affairs and security policy. “As for the peace plan we understand President Zelensky has been presented with, we have always said that for any peace plan to work, it has to be with Ukraine and with the Europeans on board,” Kallas emphasized on Friday morning. President of the European council [António Costa](https://x.com/vonderleyen/status/1991804555730784274) said that the E.U. has yet to review the proposal, but “remains fully committed to ensure an unwavering support to Ukraine based on the principles of the United Nations charter.” Speaking alongside Costa at the G20 summit in South Africa, president of the European Commission Ursula Von der Leyen [said](https://x.com/vonderleyen/status/1991804555730784274) that Europe has “stood by Ukraine” since day one and will continue to do so. Von der Leyen added that she would be holding talks with European leaders on the sidelines of the G20 summit, arguing that “nothing” can be discussed about Ukraine without the country’s active participation. The E.U. [announced](https://finance.ec.europa.eu/news/eu-adopts-19th-package-sanctions-against-russia-2025-10-23%5Fen) its 19th package of sanctions on Russia last month, swiftly after the U.S. [confirmed](https://time.com/7327889/trump-united-states-european-union-sanctions-russia-oil-gas/) its own renewed set of measures against Moscow and its top oil companies. Meanwhile, the Coalition of the Willing, composed of over 30 countries, has [previously committed](https://time.com/7314566/zelensky-trump-ukraine-america-security-guarantees-russia-conflict/) to deploying troops on the ground in Ukraine after a cease-fire, but the U.S. proposal looks to prevent such a peacekeeping force from being established, should it come into place.  Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump meet for a summit in Anchorage, Alaska, on Aug. 15, 2025. Andrew Caballero—Getty Images Putin on Friday afternoon confirmed that Russia has received the U.S.-drafted plan. “We have this text. We received it through existing channels of interaction with the American Administration,” said Putin during a meeting of Russia’s Security Council, [according to state media TASS](https://tass.ru/politika/25696625). "I believe that it can be used as the basis for a final peace settlement." However, the report states that Putin said the plan has yet to be discussed "with us in any meaningful way," as Ukraine is not yet on board with the agreement. Trump and Putin were set to meet in Budapest last month, but the White House canceled. Expressing frustration with Putin, Trump [told](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivFJnMl9W9U) reporters in the Oval Office that the summit had been put on hold as he didn’t want to have a “wasted meeting.” The two world leaders met in Alaska in August to discuss a possible path toward peace, but the high-stakes summit ended earlier than expected, with [no deal being reached](https://time.com/7309902/trump-putin-meeting-ultimatum-ceasefire-talks/). Some critics argued that [Putin achieved more wins than Trump](https://time.com/7310132/trump-putin-summit-ukraine-alaska-2/) as a result of the sit-down—which was the first in-person meeting between the world leaders since 2019. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/7335666/trump-plan-to-end-russia-ukraine-war-zelensky-response/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/7335666/trump-plan-to-end-russia-ukraine-war-zelensky-response/"},"headline":"Zelensky Says Ukraine Faces Losing Dignity as Trump Issues Deadline to Sign His New Peace Plan","datePublished":"2025-11-21T13:12:28.000Z","dateModified":"2025-11-21T21:41:41.000Z","description":"Trump, meanwhile, has given Zelensky a deadline to respond to his new 28-point peace plan.","url":"https://time.com/7335666/trump-plan-to-end-russia-ukraine-war-zelensky-response/","keywords":["Ukraine","News Desk"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt47030f6ea063c353/6998cbd983ec37615ac7b269/GettyImages-2246877299.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Callum Sutherland","jobTitle":"Reporter","url":"https://time.com/author/callum-sutherland/"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt47030f6ea063c353/6998cbd983ec37615ac7b269/GettyImages-2246877299.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky speaks at a press","caption":"Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky speaks at a press","creditText":"Alberto Gardin—© 2025 SOPA Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/ukraine/","name":"Ukraine"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/7335666/trump-plan-to-end-russia-ukraine-war-zelensky-response/","name":"Zelensky Says Ukraine Faces Losing Dignity as Trump Issues Deadline to Sign His New Peace Plan"}}]}] ```