A political controversy erupted in the U.S. after Republican Senator Mike Rounds from South Dakota claimed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio told him by phone that the recently leaked 28-point Ukraine peace plan was not an official U.S. proposal. Instead, Rounds said Rubio described it as a document received from the Russian side, which was then leaked.
At the Halifax International Security Forum in Canada, Rounds stated:
“Rubio called us in the afternoon and confirmed that we received a proposal handed to one of our representatives. This is not our recommendation or peace plan—it’s a proposal we received and arranged to share as a mediator. We didn’t publish the plan; it was leaked… It’s an opportunity to hear one side’s view and allow the other side to respond.”
Independent Senator Angus King of Maine supported Rounds’ account, saying Rubio referred to the plan as a “Russian wish list” and added that “it looks like it was written in Russian originally,” according to the New York Post and NBC.
However, both Rubio and the U.S. State Department strongly denied these claims. In a post on X, Rubio asserted that the proposal was drafted by the United States and presented as a strong framework for ongoing negotiations. He acknowledged that it incorporated Russian input but also drew from past and ongoing Ukrainian proposals.
The State Department issued an official statement calling the claims attributed to Rubio “blatantly false,” emphasizing that the U.S. authored the plan as a negotiation basis, considering both sides’ perspectives.
President Donald Trump also commented, stating the plan is “not a final offer.” He warned Ukraine that rejecting it might mean continuing the war “on its own.”
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Background and Reactions
The 28-point plan was leaked on November 20, 2025, as part of the Trump administration’s renewed efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war, which began in February 2022 and has caused tens of thousands of deaths and widespread destruction.
Key contributors to the plan reportedly include U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and Russian official Kirill Dmitriev. The plan proposes major Ukrainian concessions, such as
- Ceding territories in Donbas and other regions
- Agreeing not to join NATO
- Downsizing Ukraine’s military
- Russia paying $100 billion in reconstruction aid (partially managed by the U.S.)
Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed the plan as a “fair” basis for settlement. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected parts of it, calling it a “betrayal of the Ukrainian people” and a “reward for aggression,” though he expressed openness to dialogue.
In Europe, the plan sparked outrage. Defense leaders at the Halifax Forum criticized it as a chaotic moment in U.S. foreign policy, fearing it could undermine European security and embolden further Russian aggression. Diplomats voiced concern over secret meetings between U.S. and Russian officials in Miami, calling it a “breach of trust” with allies.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated during the summit:
“Great powers cannot end wars at the expense of affected nations,” adding, “We are still far from achieving a positive outcome for all.”
Republican Senators Mitch McConnell and Lindsey Graham also criticized the plan. McConnell claimed that Putin was attempting to manipulate Trump.