Kiev [Ukraine], November 23: US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin as well as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have spoken out about the new peace plan proposed by the US to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
On the afternoon of November 21 (early morning of November 22, Vietnam time), US President Donald Trump said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would have to accept the US's 28-point peace plan to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict that has lasted nearly 4 years.
"He's going to have to like it, and if he doesn't like it, you know, they should keep fighting, I guess. At some point, he's going to have to accept something he hasn't accepted yet," Reuters quoted Mr. Trump.
Trump sets deadline for Ukraine
Hours earlier, President Trump said he believed November 27 was the appropriate deadline for Ukraine to accept the peace plan, according to Fox News. Mr. Trump said that time was running out because winter was approaching and the bloodshed needed to end. Reuters cited two sources saying that Washington had threatened to stop supplying weapons to Ukraine if Kyiv did not accept the peace plan. In addition, CNN cited several sources revealing that President Trump's administration is looking to reach a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine by the end of this year.
On the Russian side, President Vladimir Putin said on November 21 that the US's 28-point plan could create the basis for a peaceful solution in Ukraine, according to TASS news agency. Mr. Putin said Moscow had received the content of the new peace plan, but the content had not yet been discussed in detail with the Russian side.
"I believe the reason remains the same: the US administration has not yet reached an agreement with the Ukrainian side," Putin said at a meeting of Russia's Security Council. He also said Kyiv opposed the US peace plan but neither Kyiv nor its European allies understood the reality of Russia's advances in Ukraine.
Also on November 21, Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev wrote on social network X that the new US peace plan is aimed at helping Ukraine avoid further loss of land and lives. This plan is the result of secret discussions between Mr. Dmitriev and Mr. Steve Witkoff, special envoy of President Trump, according to Reuters.
The choice is very difficult
Meanwhile, President Zelensky on November 21 was careful not to reject the US peace plan or offend the Trump administration, according to Reuters. "We appreciate the efforts of the United States, President Trump and his team to end this conflict. This must be a plan that ensures a real and valuable peace," he said.
On the other hand, President Zelensky called on the Ukrainian people to unite and declared that he would never betray Ukraine. "Ukraine may now face a very difficult choice - either lose its dignity or risk losing an important partner. I will fight 24/7 to ensure that at least two points in the plan are not ignored - the dignity and freedom of the Ukrainian people," Mr. Zelensky stressed in his speech to the nation. Reuters cited three sources revealing that Ukraine is drafting a proposal to counter the 28-point peace plan of the United States with Britain, France and Germany.
The US peace plan calls for Ukraine to cede territory, accept military limits and abandon its ambitions to join NATO. "Russia gets everything it wants, and Ukraine gets very little. If Mr. Zelensky accepts this, I predict there will be huge political, social and economic instability in Ukraine," said expert Tim Ash of the UK-based research organization Chatham House.
Source: Thanh Nieu Newspaper
