US President Donald Trump has sparked outrage in Ukraine by saying his proposed peace plan was not his "final offer" despite the country's concerns that it represents a surrender on key issues.
Trump's comments came as Ukrainians and US officials gathered for talks in Geneva, with security officials from France, Britain and Germany also expected to attend. The US president said he wanted to end the conflict in Ukraine but insisted that the plan was not a "final offer".
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected Trump's proposal as it would require Kyiv to give up territory and surrender its sovereignty. Zelenskyy had warned that his country faced an impossible choice between keeping its national dignity and losing its major ally, the US.
The plan has been widely criticized by European leaders who see it as a betrayal of Ukraine's interests. Finland's former prime minister Sanna Marin described it as a "catastrophe" for Ukraine and the democratic world. Belgium's former prime minister Guy Verhofstadt likened Trump to an appeaser, comparing him to those who fed a crocodile hoping it would eat them last.
Ukrainian protesters have also taken to social media to express their outrage at the proposal. One young woman in Kyiv said that her country would "keep strong" without American support and vowed to fight for its territory. Another protester, Sofia Barchan, described Trump's plan as a blueprint for another Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has denied that the proposal was ever meant to be a "wish list" of the Russians, despite claims from some senators that he had made such a statement. The claim has been disputed by the US state department.
As tensions continue to build in Ukraine, world leaders are being forced to confront their own values and priorities. In the words of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, "we are at a moment when we can make history... or not."
Ukraine's negotiating team will meet with US counterparts in Geneva for talks on the plan, which is seen as a last-ditch effort to end the conflict before Trump leaves office. The future of Ukraine hangs in the balance, and it remains to be seen whether its leaders will be able to resist the pressure from Washington.
Trump's comments came as Ukrainians and US officials gathered for talks in Geneva, with security officials from France, Britain and Germany also expected to attend. The US president said he wanted to end the conflict in Ukraine but insisted that the plan was not a "final offer".
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected Trump's proposal as it would require Kyiv to give up territory and surrender its sovereignty. Zelenskyy had warned that his country faced an impossible choice between keeping its national dignity and losing its major ally, the US.
The plan has been widely criticized by European leaders who see it as a betrayal of Ukraine's interests. Finland's former prime minister Sanna Marin described it as a "catastrophe" for Ukraine and the democratic world. Belgium's former prime minister Guy Verhofstadt likened Trump to an appeaser, comparing him to those who fed a crocodile hoping it would eat them last.
Ukrainian protesters have also taken to social media to express their outrage at the proposal. One young woman in Kyiv said that her country would "keep strong" without American support and vowed to fight for its territory. Another protester, Sofia Barchan, described Trump's plan as a blueprint for another Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has denied that the proposal was ever meant to be a "wish list" of the Russians, despite claims from some senators that he had made such a statement. The claim has been disputed by the US state department.
As tensions continue to build in Ukraine, world leaders are being forced to confront their own values and priorities. In the words of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, "we are at a moment when we can make history... or not."
Ukraine's negotiating team will meet with US counterparts in Geneva for talks on the plan, which is seen as a last-ditch effort to end the conflict before Trump leaves office. The future of Ukraine hangs in the balance, and it remains to be seen whether its leaders will be able to resist the pressure from Washington.
. I mean, can you blame them for feeling betrayed? Trump's plan is like, basically saying "Hey, take this or nothing" - no room for negotiation. And Zelenskyy's not wrong to say it would be a surrender on key issues. I don't think anyone should feel pressured into giving up territory just because the US wants peace. It's all about finding a balance between security and sovereignty 
. We need to support Ukraine in this moment, not abandon them. The thought of another Russian invasion is terrifying 
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trump's plan is so not good 4 them ppl are already super upset & frustrated ...i mean how r u supposed 2 just give up ur sovereignty & territory like dat? 
it's all about the values & priorities right now 
ukraine's got this tho, they're strong & resilient 
let's keep our fingers crossed that they can resist the pressure from washington & fight for what's theirs 
also can we talk about how finland's sanna marin just roasted trump in a whole different country and nobody seems to be giving her hate 
meanwhile, ukrainian protesters are over here like "girl, bye" to trump's plan and i am living for it 
the pressure on washington is real though, hopefully ukraine's leaders can stay strong and not get pressured into giving up their sovereignty 
. Anyway, I think what's really concerning here is that Ukraine is being forced into a tough spot. On one hand, they need US support to counterbalance Russian aggression, but on the other hand, Trump's plan seems like it would gut their sovereignty. It's like, how can you negotiate peace without respecting the country's boundaries? 
And what's with all the backtracking from Trump - is he just trying to save face or does he really think his plan is a good one? 
they dont need some final offer from trump to feel safe their sovereignty matters more than any deal 
anyway i think its super concerning how quickly trumps plan is being rejected by european leaders and ukraine itself like what did he expect 
we gotta keep an eye on this situation and hope that ukraine gets the support they need from the international community 
I was really hoping for more clarity on what's going on with Trump's proposal. Like, is it really a surrender? 
I feel like world leaders are just winging it and hoping for the best. And what's with the Russian invasion comments? 
Is that even on the table as an option now? 
And Ukraine's president is right, it would be a huge betrayal of trust to give up that much territory 
Either way, world leaders gotta step up and show they care about Ukraine's future 
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. This plan is a recipe for disaster, anyone who thinks trumps offer is final hasnt been paying attention 
. Trump's comments are just a huge red flag, if you ask me 