US President Donald Trump issued an ultimatum to Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky to accept a peace plan favoring Russia by Thanksgiving on November 27. The plan involves ceding Ukrainian territories and military restrictions, which Zelensky initially rejected but later showed willingness to negotiate. European powers expressed unwavering support for Ukraine.
On November 21, 2025, Donald Trump announced an ultimatum to Volodymyr Zelensky, demanding a positive response to the peace plan proposed by his administration before November 27, Thanksgiving in the US. In a Fox News interview, Trump stated: “If things work out, you tend to extend deadlines. But next Thursday we think is an appropriate date.” He warned that failure to accept would result in Ukraine losing US support, and praised the bravery of Ukrainian fighters, though he predicted continued fighting would lead to further territorial losses.
The plan consists of 28 points, including de facto recognition of Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk as Russian, freezing the contact line in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine's renunciation of NATO membership, limiting its armed forces to 600,000 personnel, and holding elections within 100 days. It also provides security guarantees, a reconstruction fund of $200 billion from Russian and European assets, and reactivation of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant under IAEA supervision.
Zelensky initially rejected the proposal, stating in a message to the nation: “Ukraine could face a very difficult choice: the loss of dignity or the risk of losing a key partner.” He criticized it as implying “a life without freedom, without dignity, without justice,” recalling Russia's 2022 invasion and 2014 annexation of Crimea. However, after nearly an hour-long talks with Vice President JD Vance and Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, Zelensky posted on social media: “Ukraine has always respected and continues to respect US President Donald Trump's desire to end the bloodshed.”
Vladimir Putin commented that the plan “can lay the foundations for a definitive peace agreement,” but threatened to conquer more territory if Kyiv rejects it. From the White House, an official said “President Trump is working with both sides to end the war as soon as possible.”
Zelensky urgently contacted leaders from France, Germany, and the UK, who reaffirmed their “unwavering support” and commitment to European and NATO interests. The German government stated they agreed to “preserve long-term vital European and Ukrainian interests.”