Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is facing a difficult situation as he tries to avoid a peace agreement that could be humiliating for him. Domestically, he is under pressure to dismiss his chief advisor, who plays a key role in resisting Russian aggression.
According to sources familiar with the situation, Zelensky has received instructions from the U.S. urging him to accept the proposed agreement developed in cooperation with Moscow.
On Thursday, the President of Ukraine plans to hold meetings in Kyiv with a delegation of American military officials led by Army Secretary Dan Driscoll. This group, which has previously communicated with Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi, will discuss options for ending Russian aggression, according to an informed source.
The latest initiative from the Donald Trump administration includes 28 points reminiscent of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza. This plan contains Russia's demands for territorial concessions that Ukraine has repeatedly rejected, and which continue to hinder any attempts to achieve a truce.
It also involves the transfer of part of eastern Donbas into Kremlin hands, the lifting of sanctions on Russia, and the cessation of investigations into war crimes.
According to a Bloomberg source, Ukraine will be required to agree to limit the size of its armed forces, which will significantly weaken its defense capabilities in the face of a potential new offensive.
European diplomats express doubts about the possibility of reaching any agreement, emphasizing that Putin is known for his tendency to make concessions under pressure. The Kremlin, according to informed sources, is eager to avoid the imposition of American sanctions against major Russian oil companies—Rosneft and Lukoil—that are set to take effect on Friday.
Zelensky is under pressure from the U.S. in light of the need to make compromises to end the war, while he is also preparing to meet with members of his party to mitigate public discontent caused by a corruption scandal. Anti-corruption investigations have linked his former business partner to the embezzlement of up to $100 million, which has already led to the resignation of two ministers.
Members of his party are demanding that Zelensky dismiss Andriy Yermak, head of the President's Office, who is actively involved in decision-making on key appointments and strategic issues in wartime, as reported by a source familiar with the situation.
If Zelensky does not remove Yermak, it could lead to a parliamentary crisis, warns the Bloomberg source.
Yermak, who often accompanies Zelensky on foreign trips, has significantly increased his influence within the administration. However, last year Zelensky dismissed criticism, calling Yermak a "strong manager."
Last week, two independent anti-corruption agencies in Ukraine presented the results of their 15-month investigation into alleged corruption in the energy sector. Investigators claim that the scheme involved illegal payments from contractors who built protective structures for Ukrainian nuclear facilities against Russian attacks.
The agencies possess unpublished recordings of conversations among scheme participants discussing corrupt practices. Kyiv is eagerly awaiting who else may be involved in this investigation.
In July, Zelensky attempted to take control of anti-corruption bodies, but under pressure from mass protests and international condemnation, he had to back down.
In an interview with Bloomberg TV on November 13, the president noted that he fully supports the investigation. "The main thing is to achieve justice for the guilty," he emphasized. "A wartime president cannot afford to have friends," he added.
The domestic political crisis coincides with a situation where Ukrainian officials are trying to clarify the plan to end the war, which is being promoted by Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian representative Kirill Dmitriev.
At a meeting earlier this week in Miami, Ukraine's Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov received information about a plan that, according to sources, is favorable to Russia.
Ukrainian and European officials still do not know whether President Trump supports these proposals, and what will happen if Kyiv decides to reject them. Ukraine heavily relies on American intelligence support in air defense and on military assistance primarily funded by European countries.
Concerns about the proposals were also expressed at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels.
"For any plan to be successfully implemented, support from both Ukrainian and European society is necessary," said EU foreign policy chief Kaia Kallas to reporters.
According to Axios, Volodymyr Zelensky informed U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll of his readiness to engage with the Trump administration on a new peace plan for Ukraine.
The proposal requires significant concessions from Ukraine, including the transfer of territories controlled by it to Russia. Instead of outright rejecting it, Zelensky agreed to start negotiations, and his office confirmed that he intends to discuss the plan with President Trump in the coming days.
According to a Ukrainian official, Driscoll provided Zelensky with a copy of the plan during their meeting in Kyiv on Thursday.
In a statement from Zelensky's office, it was noted that the president "identified key principles important to our people, and as a result of the meeting, the parties agreed to work on the provisions of the plan to achieve a fair end to the war."
An American official noted that Zelensky and Driscoll "agreed on a clear timeline for signing."
