US President Donald Trump says he wants a response from Zelensky by Thursday.
"I've had a lot of deadlines, but if things are working well, they tend to get extended," Trump said in an interview with Fox News on Friday.
But we think Thursday is a suitable time.
The move comes after a 28-point draft was published in full by several media outlets. Ukraine would, among other things, agree to limit its military, never join the NATO military alliance and release the Ukrainian territories of Crimea, Luhansk and Donetsk to Russia, according to the draft. Parts of Luhansk and Donetsk are still controlled by Ukraine.
In exchange, Ukraine is promised “reliable security guarantees.”
Will present alternatives
In a speech to the nation, Zelensky says that he does not intend to "betray" Ukraine and that there is a risk that the country will be forced to distance itself from the United States because of Trump's peace plan.
Ukraine may now face a very difficult choice, either to lose its dignity or risk losing an important partner, he continues.
President Zelenskyy spoke with US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll late Friday afternoon.
"Ukraine has always respected and continues to respect the will of US President Donald Trump to put an end to the bloodshed," Zelenskyy wrote politely on social platforms after the conversation, which lasted an hour.
Russia threatens
Russian President Putin commented on the peace plan for the first time on Friday evening, claiming that the plan – developed in consultations with Russia – could be the basis for a settlement. At the same time, Putin threatened that Russian forces would seize more Ukrainian territory if Ukraine did not agree to the plan.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke by phone with Zelensky on Friday, pledging to continue the dialogue with the United States in close cooperation.
Ukraine's military must continue to be able to defend its sovereignty, and the current front line should be the starting point for all peace talks, according to a statement from the German government.
Merz says later in the evening that he had a "good and confidential" phone call with Trump about the "next steps" and states that he will inform his European partners.
