A quietly drafted US–Russia plan to end the Ukraine war has triggered alarm in Kyiv after reports revealed that it would require Ukraine to surrender territory and drastically reduce the size of its military. The development emerged on Wednesday, even as Russian missile and drone strikes killed at least 25 people, including three children, in the western city of Ternopil.
Backchannel diplomacy raises concerns in Kyiv
According to reports by the Financial Times, Reuters and Axios, the proposal was developed through an unofficial backchannel between Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and Kremlin adviser Kirill Dmitriev. The 28-point draft plan would impose sweeping restrictions on Ukraine, including ceding eastern territory now under its control and halving the strength of its armed forces—conditions President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly rejected.
The plan would also limit the categories of weapons Ukraine could receive from the US and potentially restrict Washington’s military assistance. Such terms would effectively allow Russia to exert significant influence over Ukraine’s sovereignty, making the proposal politically untenable in Kyiv.
It remains unclear whether the Trump administration has formally endorsed the plan. However, reports suggest the draft mirrors a Gaza ceasefire model previously floated by Washington.
Mixed signals from Washington
US secretary of state Marco Rubio, in a post on X, appeared to indirectly respond to the reports by saying that a durable peace would require “difficult but necessary concessions from both sides”. He added that Washington is developing “a list of potential ideas” based on inputs from both Kyiv and Moscow.
The White House has not commented publicly on the leaked draft. Previous peace attempts backed by Washington have failed due to Russia’s maximalist demands and Ukraine’s refusal to compromise on territorial integrity.
Deadly Russian strikes devastate Ternopil
Even as diplomatic manoeuvres unfolded, Russia launched a large-scale attack on western Ukraine early Wednesday, targeting multi-storey residential buildings in Ternopil and energy infrastructure in Ivano-Frankivsk and Lviv.
Ukraine’s interior ministry confirmed 25 deaths and 73 injuries, including 15 children. Residents described harrowing scenes as fires engulfed buildings and escape routes filled with smoke.
Oleg Hrytsyshyn, who lived on the sixth floor of one of the struck buildings, said thick black smoke made evacuation impossible. “There were several loud explosions… it was burning everywhere,” he said. He was eventually rescued and treated for high blood pressure.
Another witness, Yaroslav Teslyuk, said some victims burned alive in their apartments because the strike occurred around 5.30 a.m. when most residents were asleep.
Zelenskyy calls for stronger pressure on Russia
President Zelenskyy met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara on Wednesday, calling the meeting an effort to “reinvigorate negotiations” for a just peace. He urged allies to increase military assistance, particularly air-defence systems, to counter Russia’s ongoing campaign to destroy Ukraine’s energy grid ahead of winter.
“Every brazen attack against ordinary life shows that the pressure on Russia is insufficient,” Zelenskyy said.
Diplomatic track remains frozen
Despite occasional signals from Moscow that it is open to talks, the Kremlin has refused to scale back its demands. Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said there were “no new developments” in peace discussions, while Russia’s foreign ministry claimed it had not received any formal proposal from Washington.
Ukraine and Russia have not engaged in direct talks since mid-summer. Efforts have further stalled after the last meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska in August.
Meanwhile, the battlefield situation is deteriorating for Kyiv, with Russian forces advancing into the strategic city of Pokrovsk. Compounding the crisis is a major corruption scandal in Ukraine’s energy sector, which has ignited the country’s most serious political controversy since the war began.
Conclusion
With a controversial US–Russia draft plan circulating and Russia escalating military pressure, Ukraine finds itself facing both battlefield setbacks and diplomatic uncertainty. As winter approaches, Kyiv’s immediate priorities remain strengthening air defences, supporting civilians under attack, and resisting any peace terms that compromise national sovereignty.