The British newspaper The Telegraph reported on Tuesday that Ukraine may agree to halt fighting and potentially relinquish territory already controlled by Russia as part of a European-backed peace plan.
According to the report, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky informed European leaders of the need to reject any settlement proposed by Donald Trump that would involve Ukraine giving up additional land. However, he indicated that Russia might be allowed to retain some of the territory it has already seized.
Zelensky told European leaders that Ukrainian land currently under Russian control could be open for negotiation in peace talks.
While Ukraine appears willing to concede certain areas, it would only agree to a peace settlement that includes strong security guarantees—such as weapons supplies and a clear path toward NATO membership.
This would mean freezing the front lines as they currently stand and granting Russia de facto control over occupied territories in the regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Crimea.
The softening of Ukraine’s negotiating stance comes ahead of scheduled talks between Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska this Friday, according to The Telegraph.
A Western official described a frantic weekend of diplomacy between Kyiv and its allies, saying, “The plan can only be tied to the current positions of both armies.”
Meanwhile, concerns are growing in Ukraine and across Europe over the possibility that Presidents Trump and Putin could negotiate an end to the long-running war.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Monday, “I have many concerns and great hopes,” adding that U.S. officials have pledged to consult with European leaders before direct talks between Trump and Putin.
One of Europe’s main concerns is the alleged peace plan proposed by Moscow, which includes freezing the front lines in southeastern Ukraine—if Kyiv agrees to withdraw from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions it currently controls.