Ukraine faces 'difficult choice' as Trump demands acceptance of peace plan

Irfan Bhatti

Ukraine is facing a tough decision as US President Donald Trump demands acceptance of a 28-point peace plan to end the war with Russia. The plan requires Ukraine to cede territory, limit its military, and renounce NATO membership. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warns that accepting the plan would compromise the country's dignity and freedom. Meanwhile, European leaders are expressing concerns about the proposal, emphasizing the need for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity to be respected. What's at stake for Ukraine, and how will this impact the ongoing conflict? Watch to learn more.   #UkraineRussiaPeacePlan #TrumpPeacePlan #28PointPlan #UkraineWar  #RussiaUkraineConflict #PeaceTalks #NATO #SecurityGuarantees  #Diplomacy #GlobalPolitics

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00:00President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday Ukraine faced losing its dignity and freedom

00:05or Washington's support over a U.S. peace plan which endorses key Russian demands and

00:10which Donald Trump said Kiev should agree to by Thursday.

00:13The U.S. president told Fox News Radio he believed next Thursday was an appropriate

00:18deadline for Kiev to accept the plan, confirming what two sources had told Reuters.

00:23In a solemn address to the nation which he delivered in the street outside his office,

00:27a location he uses only rarely for major addresses, Zelensky had earlier on Friday

00:33appealed to Ukrainians for unity and said he would never betray Ukraine.

00:37Now is one of the most difficult moments of our history.

00:41Now, the pressure on Ukraine is one of the heaviest.

00:44Now, Ukraine can face a very difficult choice, either losing dignity or risk losing a major

00:50partner.

00:51I will fight 24-7 to ensure that at least two points in the plan are not overlooked.

00:56The dignity and freedom of Ukrainians.

00:59Washington has presented Kiev with a 28-point plan, which calls for Ukraine to cede territory,

01:05accept limits to its military and renounce ambitions to join NATO.

01:10The United States threatened to cut off intelligence sharing and weapon supplies for Ukraine if it

01:15does not accept the deal, the two sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity to disclose

01:20the contents of private meetings.

01:22The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

01:27However, a senior U.S. official later said it was not accurate to say the U.S.

01:31threatened to withhold intelligence.

01:34A U.S. military delegation met Zelensky in Kiev on Thursday.

01:38The U.S. ambassador and the Army Public Affairs chief traveling with the delegation described the

01:43meeting as a success and said Washington sought an aggressive timeline for the U.S. and Ukraine

01:49to sign a document.

01:54Zelensky held a phone call on Friday with the leaders of allies Britain, Germany and France,

01:56and later spoke to U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance.

01:59He said he had agreed with Vance to work at advisor level to find a workable path to peace.

02:05Three sources later told Reuters that Ukraine was working on a counterproposal to the 28-point plan

02:11with Britain, France, and Germany.

02:13The Europeans have not been consulted on the U.S. plan and have expressed strong support for Kiev.

02:19We value the efforts of the United States, President Trump, and his team aimed at ending this war.

02:26We are working on the document prepared by the American side.

02:29This must be a plan that ensures a real and dignified peace, he said.

02:33But the plans call for terms that Kiev has rejected in the past as capitulation could test the stability

02:40of Ukrainian society after nearly four years of relentless warfare.

02:44Russia gets everything it wants and Ukraine gets not very much.

02:48If Zelensky accepts this, I anticipate huge political, social, and economic instability in Ukraine,

02:55said Tim Ash of Britain's Chatham House think tank.

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