WASHINGTON: The US Ukraine peace plan controversy deepened on Saturday as Washington rejected claims that its proposal reflects Russian demands. Several US senators had said Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the draft as a Russian “wish list,” creating confusion during a sensitive phase of negotiations.
Senators Claim Proposal Mirrors Russian Demands
The dispute centers on a 28-point proposal that includes territorial concessions long sought by Moscow. Critics argue the draft favors Russia. The disagreement has complicated efforts to move the peace process forward.
President Donald Trump has urged Ukraine to accept the plan within days. Negotiators will meet in Switzerland on Sunday to continue talks.
A bipartisan group of senators raised concerns at the Halifax International Security Forum in Nova Scotia.
Republican Mike Rounds, independent Angus King, and Democrat Jeanne Shaheen said Rubio privately told them the document was not the official US position.
Rounds stated that Rubio said the proposal had been passed along by someone linked to Russia and later given to Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff.
“It is not our recommendation. It is not our peace plan,” Rounds said.
King added that the leaked document “is essentially the Russian wish list,” and that it does not reflect official US policy.
Key Points of the Disputed Plan
The proposal reportedly asks Ukraine to:
- Give up territory
- Reduce its military
- Permanently renounce NATO membership
Trump said on Saturday that the draft is not his final offer. He added that he hopes to stop the fighting “one way or the other.”
Rubio Insists the Plan Was Written by the United States
Rubio pushed back against the senators’ claims. He said the proposal “was authored by the US” and serves as a framework for further talks. According to him, it contains input from both Russia and Ukraine.
However, Shaheen said she and Rounds spoke with Rubio as he traveled to Geneva for discussions with Ukrainian officials.
Rounds said the wording did not resemble normal US government documents and appeared as though it “may have been written in Russian” before being translated.
Senators Warn Against Rewarding Russia
King stressed that any agreement must be fair and protect Ukraine’s sovereignty.
“Everyone wants this war to end,” he said, “but it must end in a just peace that does not reward aggression.”
Other US senators also criticized the plan on Saturday.
They warned that giving Russia concessions would weaken Ukraine’s defense and undermine long-term stability.
Republican leader Mitch McConnell said that “rewarding Russian brutality would be disastrous for America’s interests.”
Writing on X, he added that Putin “has spent the entire year trying to manipulate President Trump.”
Ukraine Says It Will Not Give Up Territory
Since the invasion began in 2022, President Volodymyr Zelensky has vowed that Ukraine will not surrender its land.
In a Friday address, he said the country is facing one of its most difficult periods. Zelensky also said he would present “alternative options” to Trump’s proposal.
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