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London, 23 April 2025 – US and Ukrainian officials have met in London to discuss Donald Trump’s proposal to end the war in Ukraine, which would see Russia retain most of the territories it has seized and Ukraine receive no clear security guarantees from the US, The Telegraph reports.
This seven-point plan, which has been heavily criticised, includes formal US recognition of Russia’s sovereignty over Crimea, annexed in 2014, as well as de facto recognition of other occupied territories, freezing the front line. According to the proposal, Russia should return only two small territories to Ukraine, including unimpeded access to the mouth of the Dnipro River and withdrawal of troops from part of the Kherson region. At the same time, the nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhia, the largest in Ukraine, will come under US control.
Terms that are contrary to international law
Point four of the plan calls for American recognition of Russian sovereignty over Crimea, in direct violation of a basic principle of international law and the post-1945 world order: no country can annex the territory of another, and such changes should not be recognised. After the full-scale invasion in February 2022, Russia seized significant territories in Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, and this plan allows Putin to retain these gains, although there will be no formal recognition of these regions as part of Russia.
What does Ukraine get?
The plan includes some concessions in favour of Ukraine: Russia will cede two small territories, and the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant will come under American control. In addition, Ukraine will gain access to its natural resources through an agreement with American companies (point six). However, the key loss for Kyiv is the lack of clear security guarantees from the US. The third point of the plan requires Ukraine to give up its aspirations for NATO membership, although accession to the EU remains possible.
Reaction of the parties
Ukrainian officials are sceptical about the prospects of an agreement. According to them, Ukraine’s constitution prohibits the government or parliament from ceding territory, which can only be done through a referendum, which is impossible to hold under martial law. Volodymyr Zelenskyy has previously agreed to direct talks with Russia and an immediate ceasefire (points one and two of the plan), but other conditions are worrying.
Russia is also showing caution. Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, said that there was no need to rush into a deal, stressing the need for a “viable settlement”. At the same time, Putin expressed satisfaction with blocking Ukraine’s accession to NATO, but the plan contradicts his goal of “demilitarising” Ukraine, as Kyiv will be able to continue building up its armed forces and receive weapons from European countries.
The position of Europe and Britain
Trump’s proposal contradicts the UK’s stated goals. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has previously stressed that Ukraine should be on an “irreversible path” to NATO, and that any peacekeeping mission in Ukraine would require “American support” to deter Russia. Trump’s plan does not meet these conditions, casting doubt on the possibility of a European force deploying to Ukraine after the deal.
A new level of cooperation between the US and Russia?
The seventh point of the plan provides for the lifting of all US sanctions against Russia and the start of cooperation in the energy sector, which could dramatically change relations between Washington and Moscow. This raises additional questions about the long-term implications of the agreement for global security.
What’s next?
General Keith Kellogg, the US special envoy, had hoped to persuade Ukraine to agree to the plan in London, after which his counterpart Steve Witkoff would have presented the proposal to Putin in Moscow. However, Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State, withdrew from the talks at the last minute. Sources in the British Foreign Office believe that no agreement will be reached in London and view the meeting as an opportunity for Ukraine to express its own vision of peace.
Trump’s plan raises serious questions about Ukraine’s future, the principles of international law, and the role of the United States in supporting its allies in times of crisis.
