Zelensky Rejects Trump-Backed Peace Settlement

Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, has categorically dismissed a suggested peace agreement that would require Ukraine to formally relinquish Crimea to Russia in return for halting the current frontline of the ongoing conflict.

The United States reportedly incorporated this contentious condition into a seven-point peace plan, which forms part of a wider settlement proposal intended to resolve the war. The plan is slated for discussion in London today during high-level talks involving officials from the UK, US, and EU.

Zelensky, however, was unequivocal in his response.

“There is nothing to talk about,” he said. “This violates our Constitution. Crimea is our territory—the territory of the people of Ukraine.”

This position puts Ukraine at odds with the US-led proposal, which advocates recognizing Crimea as Russian in exchange for President Vladimir Putin stopping his invasion and abandoning claims to four partially occupied Ukrainian regions.

According to The Telegraph, the plan lacks solid US security guarantees for Ukraine, and its inclusion of Crimea seems to stem from Putin’s recent overtures during a private meeting with Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff.

The proposal reportedly aligns with Putin’s suggestion to freeze the existing frontlines—a move viewed as his first notable softening of war demands. Yet Zelensky remains distrustful.

“As soon as talks about Crimea and our sovereign territories begin, negotiations enter the format Russia wants—prolonging the war. Because it will be impossible to agree on everything quickly,” Zelensky warned. “We know where these signals are coming from, and they will keep coming.”

It remains uncertain whether the idea to include Crimea in the peace plan originated from Russia or the US side.

European officials informed about the situation have also expressed concerns, cautioning that Putin could use the compromise to manipulate future negotiations.

“There is a lot of pressure on Kyiv right now to give up on things so Trump can claim victory,” one official told the Financial Times.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces persist in daily resistance against Russian assaults, even as drone strikes and shelling ravage cities like Kharkiv and Pokrovsk.

UK Defence Secretary, John Healey, confirmed that today’s meeting in London will explore what a long-term ceasefire might entail, building on prior discussions in Paris. The controversial seven-point plan is expected to be a key focus.

Originally intended for foreign ministers, the meeting was downgraded after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio withdrew. General Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy on Ukraine and Russia, will represent the US.

Back in Moscow, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov tempered expectations for a swift resolution, telling Russian state TV: “It is not worth setting rigid deadlines or expecting a viable settlement in a short time.”

A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.

Nnamdi Okoli