European countries sharply rejected on Thursday a reported United States-backed peace proposal that would require Ukraine to cede additional territory and accept restrictions on its military — terms long viewed by Kyiv’s allies as indistinguishable from surrender.
According to two Reuters sources, Washington has signalled to President Volodymyr Zelensky that Ukraine should accept a US-drafted settlement framework, though the White House has not publicly commented.
The timing is sensitive for Kyiv, whose army is struggling on the front lines and whose government is shaken by a corruption scandal that prompted parliament to dismiss two cabinet ministers.
Moscow dismissed suggestions of any serious diplomatic initiative, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying no real consultations were underway. He reiterated Russia’s longstanding position that any peace must address what it calls the “root causes” of the conflict — code for demands that Ukraine and its allies have repeatedly rejected.
European Union foreign ministers, meeting in Brussels, avoided discussing the undisclosed US proposal directly but firmly underscored that peace cannot come at the expense of Ukraine’s sovereignty. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot stressed that “peace cannot be a capitulation,” reflecting a broader European refusal to endorse territorial concessions.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote that durable peace would require “difficult but necessary concessions” from both sides, while a US Army delegation visited Kyiv for talks with Ukraine’s military leadership.
Commander Oleksandr Syrskyi emphasized that only strengthening Ukraine’s defensive and long-range capabilities could lead to a just peace.
Meanwhile, Russia continued its intensive bombardment of Ukrainian cities as winter approaches, killing dozens in one of the deadliest strikes in months.
On the battlefield, Russian forces are slowly advancing and are near capturing Pokrovsk, which would mark their first significant city gain in nearly two years. Ukraine, facing resource shortages, warns that conceding territory would only invite future aggression.
