Trump gives Zelenskyy fresh deadline to decide on US-backed peace proposal: Report

Trump pushes Zelenskyy for swift response to US peace plan, sets new deadline: Report

US President Donald Trump’s envoys, special adviser Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, have given Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy only “days” to respond to Washington’s peace proposal, which would require Kyiv to accept territorial losses in exchange for US security guarantees, according to the Financial Times.

Trump had hoped to finalise a deal “by Christmas,” though officials now say that timeline is unlikely. One Western official said Ukraine is stuck between “demands on territory they can’t accept and a US side they can’t reject.”

Zelenskyy told European leaders he needs time to consult partners, amid concerns that Washington could proceed without Europe, potentially undermining unity among Kyiv’s allies.

Ukraine ready to hold elections in 90 days...

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said the country is prepared to hold national elections within the next 60 to 90 days, provided allies, including the United States and Europe, can guarantee security.

His remarks come after US President Donald Trump accused Kyiv of using the war as an excuse “not to hold an election,” claiming it was time for Ukraine to go to the polls, CNN reported.

During a 36-hour tour of Europe, Zelenskyy reaffirmed that Ukraine will not surrender any territory in the proposed 28-point US-sponsored peace plan, saying Moscow is demanding concessions that Kyiv “doesn’t have a legal or moral right” to make.

Zelenskyy told reporters on his flight, “I am ready for the elections… I am asking and I am now declaring this openly – the United States of America to help me, together with our European colleagues, to ensure security for the elections.”

Trump, in an interview with Politico, questioned Ukraine’s commitment to democracy, saying: “They talk about a democracy, but it gets to a point where it’s not a democracy anymore.”

Zelenskyy rejected claims that he is holding on to power, stressing that missile strikes and frontline conditions make voting impossible without international support. “How can this be done under missile attacks on our military? The question is, how will they vote?” he said.

Talks with European leaders intensify

In London, Zelenskyy met leaders of the E3, France, Germany, and the UK. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the coming days could be “decisive.” Zelenskyy later said Kyiv was working “very actively” on revising the US proposal and that “the Ukrainian and European components have already been worked out in more detail.”

Witkoff and Kushner held three days of talks in Miami last week with Ukrainian negotiators led by Rustem Umerov and Andriy Hnatov. Zelenskyy said the original 28-point plan, drafted with Russian input, had been reduced to 20 points and is now “more favourable” to Kyiv.

The Ukrainian leader also raised concerns that the EU may drop plans for a reparations loan tied to frozen Russian central bank assets due to fears of angering Washington.

Asked whether he set a deadline for Kyiv to accept a deal, Trump told Politico: “Well, he’s gonna have to get on the ball and start, uh, accepting things... cause he’s losing.”

Russia steps up attacks as Ukraine resists territory concessions

On the battlefield, Russian forces have intensified missile and drone strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and pushed deeper into the Donetsk region, the territory Washington is pressuring Kyiv to consider negotiating over.

Russian troops have advanced in Pokrovsk and are threatening Myrnohrad with encirclement. Ukrainian officials told the FT that Vladimir Putin is falsely claiming full control of both towns to convince Trump that “Russia cannot be stopped.”

Zelenskyy said meaningful peace talks depend on Moscow’s intent: “Everything depends on whether Russia is ready to take effective steps to stop the bloodshed and prevent the war from flaring up again.”