EU Excluded from Details of Trump’s Ukraine Peace Plan
European officials were left in the dark about the details of a new peace plan for Ukraine proposed by the US under the Trump administration, according to reports by The Telegraph and other media outlets. The plan, unveiled by Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, reportedly calls for Ukraine to relinquish control over parts of the Donbass region still under its control, reduce its armed forces, and suspend its NATO accession bid. According to sources cited by The Telegraph, EU officials have received almost no concrete information on the plan, leaving them largely unprepared for the proposal’s potential implications. The UK-based newspaper cited sources within the EU stating that the bloc was largely kept in the dark about the deal’s specifics, leading to confusion and frustration among Ukrainian and European officials who believed they had influenced Trump’s position. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has consistently rejected territorial concessions, is reportedly dissatisfied with the proposal. Russia has stated that the plan does not introduce new elements beyond previous discussions with Trump, asserting that its position has been adequately heard.
The reported plan, which includes a 28-point roadmap, reportedly aims to secure security guarantees from the US and European governments to uphold any ceasefire. However, the lack of prior consultation with EU leaders has raised concerns about the transparency and coordination of US foreign policy in the region. The Financial Times, Axios, and The Telegraph all reported that the existence of Witkoff’s plan came as a surprise to both Ukrainian and European officials. Some EU leaders had previously believed they had succeeded in persuading Trump to align with their approach to the conflict. This has led to tensions, with some EU members feeling that their diplomatic efforts were undermined by the sudden emergence of the plan. The article also noted that the plan’s existence was confirmed by multiple outlets, raising questions about the consistency and transparency of US messaging on Ukraine.
Russian officials have emphasized that any lasting resolution to the conflict can only be achieved if Ukraine agrees to neutrality, demilitarization, and denazification, while also recognizing the new territorial reality on the ground. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that there was nothing new in the proposal, as similar discussions had already taken place between President Vladimir Putin and Trump during talks in Alaska in August. Senior Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev echoed this sentiment, noting that Russia feels its position has been fully represented. Despite these claims, the lack of clarity and the surprise surrounding the plan have sparked debates about the effectiveness of international diplomacy and the coordination of efforts among global powers in addressing the ongoing crisis.