Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has thrown his support behind the US peace plan for ending the war in Ukraine, describing the proposals as a workable foundation for a final settlement.
His endorsement comes as Washington pushes Kyiv to accept the terms, with President Donald Trump saying next Thursday — Thanksgiving — is an appropriate deadline for Ukraine to agree.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking in an address outside the presidential palace in Kyiv, said the country was facing one of the most difficult moments in its modern history and risks losing the United States as a key strategic partner if it rejects the latest proposals.
Zelensky said he was working “round the clock” with US officials to ensure any final agreement preserves Ukraine’s dignity and its fundamental interests.
He acknowledged that parts of the plan include concessions previously ruled out by Kyiv, including relinquishing control of some territory and abandoning aspirations to join NATO.
The Ukrainian leader confirmed that he held a call lasting just under one hour with US Vice President JD Vance on Friday to discuss what he described as “a lot of details of the American side’s proposals for ending the war.”
Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll, who met Zelensky earlier in the week, also participated in the discussions.
“Ukraine has always respected and continues to respect President Donald Trump’s desire to end the bloodshed, and we view every realistic proposal positively,” Zelensky said, adding that the government was working to ensure “a dignified and truly effective path toward a lasting peace.”
Putin, addressing Russia’s Security Council in Moscow, said the US plan had been previously discussed during his meeting with Trump in Alaska in August.
He claimed the current proposal was a “modernised” version of ideas that had already been presented to both sides earlier in the year.
“In the course of that discussion, the American side asked us to make certain compromises and show flexibility,” Putin said. “Despite certain complex issues and difficulties for us, we confirmed that we agree with those proposals.”
He added that Ukraine had initially refused the earlier version of the plan, prompting Washington to draft the updated 28-point document.
“We have its text,” Putin said. “I believe that it, too, can form the basis of a final peace settlement.”
The leaked plan circulating in Western media reflects several long-standing Russian demands, including territorial concessions and limits on Ukraine’s future security partnerships. Zelensky has not publicly confirmed which elements remain under negotiation.
With the Thursday deadline approaching, both Kyiv and Moscow appear to be signalling openness to continued talks, while tensions grow over whether Ukraine may be forced into choices its leadership has long resisted.