Trump’s Ukraine peace plan in peril as Putin insists Russia is ready to fight ‘until the last Ukrainian dies’
Russian President Vladimir Putin has presented a major obstacle to a US-proposed peace plan for the war in Ukraine. He declared that Russia will not accept a ceasefire unless Ukrainian forces withdraw from contested territories.
Since taking office, US President Donald Trump has actively pursued a resolution to the conflict. His administration initially proposed a 28-point plan that was viewed as favorable to Russia, leading Ukraine to reject it.
A revised proposal was later developed with input from US and European advisors. This new draft was received positively by Ukrainian officials, including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on November 24.
However, Russia has reacted negatively to the updated terms. Putin issued a blunt ultimatum, stating that if Ukrainian troops do not leave the regions Russia claims, it will continue its military campaign to seize them.
He explicitly warned, “If they don’t leave, then we shall achieve this by armed means.” The Russian leader framed this as a simple, non-negotiable condition for peace.
Russia currently occupies approximately one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory. Kyiv has consistently refused to cede this land, making the withdrawal demand a significant point of contention.
Despite this major hurdle, Putin did acknowledge that the US proposal could be a foundation for future agreements. This indicates a potential, though distant, path toward negotiations, provided the territorial issue is resolved.
