Secret US-Russia Talks and Ukraine’s Future

The secret US-Russia talks that shaped a dramatic 28-point peace proposal blindsided Ukraine and its closest European allies. Dropped on Kyiv with a tight Thanksgiving deadline, the plan exposed deep fractures inside the Trump administration and triggered an urgent diplomatic scramble across Europe.

A Back-Channel Deal That Bypassed Diplomats

Reporting from Bloomberg reveals that the plan emerged not from official state channels but from a confidential negotiation between US real-estate magnate Steve Witkoff and Russian sovereign wealth fund chief Kirill Dmitriev. Their October meeting in Miami, which included Jared Kushner, laid the groundwork for a framework Ukraine saw only at the final stage.
Source: https://www.bloomberg.com

The talks excluded senior US officials such as Secretary of State Marco Rubio and left European governments in the dark. When US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll—an ally of Vice President JD Vance—presented the proposal in Kyiv, it became clear that traditional diplomatic structures had been bypassed.

A Plan Favoring Moscow

Ukrainian and European officials quickly recognized language that seemed translated directly from Russian drafts. The plan demanded that Ukraine surrender major territories, drastically reduce its armed forces, and permanently abandon its NATO aspirations. It also suggested rebuilding US-Russia economic ties, a move seen as politically advantageous for Moscow.

European Leaders Respond Under Pressure

Alarmed by the implications, European officials rushed to prepare a counter-proposal for delivery in Switzerland. Their aim: buy time for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and prevent Trump’s team from locking Kyiv into a deal aligned with Russian demands. European leaders publicly questioned who authored the plan and who held real influence inside the US administration.

Ukraine Seeks Security Guarantees

Kyiv insists that any territorial discussions must occur only after hostilities end along the current line of contact. Ukrainian and EU negotiators also seek a US-backed security arrangement modeled on NATO’s Article 5 to prevent future Russian aggression.
Source: https://www.nato.int

Uncertain Outcomes as Talks Continue

Trump publicly hinted that the proposal is “not my final offer,” yet he also complained that Kyiv showed “zero gratitude.” As negotiations proceed in Switzerland, US officials may return home—or fly toward Moscow—signaling which vision of peace prevails.