US President Donald Trump has reignited tensions with Kyiv after accusing Ukraine’s leadership of showing “zero gratitude” for Washington’s efforts to end nearly four years of war with Russia. The remarks were posted on Truth Social as diplomats gathered in Switzerland to review Trump’s controversial 28-point peace proposal.
On Sunday, Trump wrote: “UKRAINE ‘LEADERSHIP’ HAS EXPRESSED ZERO GRATITUDE FOR OUR EFFORTS, AND EUROPE CONTINUES TO BUY OIL FROM RUSSIA.”
The timing of the statement caused swift backlash, as negotiators from the US, Ukraine, and Europe met to evaluate the plan, which would require major concessions from Kyiv. The proposal includes ceding territory, restricting the Ukrainian armed forces, and permanently ruling out future NATO membership.
European Leaders Question the Origins of Trump’s Peace Plan
Polish President Donald Tusk publicly questioned who authored the peace plan. His comments followed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s suggestion that the document may not have originated in Washington.
Tusk wrote on X that European leaders — along with Canada and Japan — were prepared to review the plan but had “some reservations.”
He added: “It would be good to know for sure who is the author of the plan and where was it created.”
Multiple reports suggest the text may have been drafted by Vladimir Putin’s envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, alongside Trump’s special representative Steve Witkoff. Language used in the draft has fueled speculation it may have been originally written in Russian.
US senators later said Rubio privately told them the document was not American, but a Russian draft that Moscow leaked and passed along. Rubio later insisted the US did “author” the proposal but acknowledged it included “input”from Russia and Ukraine.
Following internal pressure from Republican senators, Trump backed away from his earlier demand that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy approve the plan by Thursday.
Speaking in Washington, Trump said the proposal was “not my final offer,” implying further changes were expected.
Why Is the Peace Plan Drawing Strong Criticism?
European leaders say the draft undermines Ukraine’s sovereignty and adopts long-standing Kremlin positions.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that Ukraine’s borders cannot be changed by force and that restricting its military would leave it “vulnerable to future attack.”
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed doubts that any agreement could be finalized soon, citing “current differences.” Another Western diplomat said European states may publicly praise US diplomacy while working “quietly” to “rewrite” the document and “make it sensible.”
Officials meeting in Geneva — including representatives from Ukraine, France, Germany, and the UK — have raised concerns that the plan:
- Blocks Ukraine from joining NATO
- Restricts its right to seek EU membership
- Excludes Western peacekeeping missions
- Limits NATO aircraft deployment
- Reflects Russian demands such as reverting NATO borders to 1997
These elements closely track with Moscow’s long-standing strategic goals.
Ukraine’s Reaction to Trump’s Proposal
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine faces an extremely difficult choice between defending its national interests and risking tensions with Washington — a crucial ally.
He wrote: “The bloodshed must be stopped, and we must ensure that the war is never reignited.”
One European official described the current US leadership as “chaotic” and pushing a plan that appears “largely aligned with Moscow’s terms.”
Trump Claims He ‘Inherited’ the Russia-Ukraine War
The US President also repeated claims that the conflict began during the Biden administration — which he refers to as the “Sleepy Joe Biden Administration.”
Trump argued that the war would not have occurred if the 2020 US election had not been “rigged & stolen.”
He wrote: “It began long before I took office for a Second Term, during the Sleepy Joe Biden Administration, and has only gotten worse. If the 2020 Presidential Election was not RIGGED & STOLEN… there would be no Ukraine/Russia War.”
Trump added that Putin only saw an opportunity to attack Ukraine after seeing Biden in office.
“Putin would never have attacked! … I INHERITED A WAR THAT SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED.”
Current Status of the Peace Talks
Envoys from Ukraine and top European governments met in Geneva before holding discussions with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday.
Ukraine’s presidential chief of staff Andrii Yermak confirmed that national security advisers from the UK, France, and Germany were also present.
President Zelenskyy said he is awaiting the outcome of the Swiss discussions, noting: “A positive result is needed for all of us.”
Trump has reportedly given Ukraine until November 27 to accept his plan. Kyiv, however, is pushing back, seeking changes to several of Russia’s toughest demands.
According to multiple reports, Trump’s 28-point plan requires Ukraine to:
- Surrender contested territory
- Slash its military size
- Commit to never joining NATO
Negotiators say major revisions are likely before any agreement can be considered.
