Kyiv has said it is still “carefully examining” the US-proposed peace deal, as it denies reports in American media that it has agreed to the “majority” of the deal.
“We carefully examine all the proposals of partners, expecting the same correct attitude to the Ukrainian position,” said Rustem Umerov, the head of Ukraine’s peace delegation.
He said US reports of any alleged agreement on the terms of the deal, which cited senior US officials, had “nothing to do with reality”.
Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump will hold a call next week, Sky News reported, to discuss the contentious plans which would see Kyiv give up territory and reduce the size of its army.
The Ukrainian president will first hold talks with leaders of the UK, France, Italy and Germany.
The plan has already come under heavy criticism, with a Ukrainian MP telling The Independent it is “absolutely unacceptable” while EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said Kyiv must be involved in any decisions on Ukraine.
Earlier, at least eight Russian airports were forced to suspend operations during the night after Russia’s cities came under attack by Ukrainian drones.
Read MorePutin is still pulling Trump’s puppet strings with a new Ukraine ‘peace’ plan – but they can be cut
Revealed: The Russian commander wanted by Ukraine over Bucha massacres
What is in Trump’s controversial ‘secret peace plan’ to end the Russia-Ukraine war?
Russian troops disguising themselves as civilians in combat, says Ukrainian commander
Key Points
- Zelensky-Trump call on peace deal to be held next week - report
- Kyiv denies reports it agreed to 'majority' of Trump peace plan
- Russia says 33 Ukrainian drones destroyed overnight
- What is in Trump's draft Russia-Ukraine peace plan?
- Trump deal ‘unacceptable’ for Ukraine, Kyiv lawmaker tells The Independent
- Zelensky ready for 'honest' work on US-backed plan as Europeans push back
Russian troops disguising themselves as civilians in combat, says Ukrainian commander
13:12 , Alex CroftRussian forces are dressing up as civilians to confuse Ukraine’s defensive forces in the eastern town of Pokrovsk, Kyiv’s military has said.
The commander of the 68th Jaeger Brigade, codenamed "Liutyi”, told Ukrainian national broadcaster Suspilne that Russian troops are acting more like “sabotage and reconnaissance” groups rather than following any typical procedures of war.
"The most difficult thing is that they disguise themselves as civilians. They have been changing clothes for a long time and receive instructions to do so. Sometimes we identify the enemy only after the start of the firefight, because civilians will not open fire on our units,” Liutyi said.
Read the full report:
Russian troops disguising themselves as civilians in Pokrovsk, says Ukraine
EU chief to hold talks with Zelensky
12:54 , Alex CroftEU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen will reach out to Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss a US peace plan on Ukraine during the current G20 summit, she said on Friday.
"We will discuss the situation both with European leaders and with leaders here on the sidelines of the G20. I will also reach out to President Zelenskyy to discuss the matter," Ms von der Leyen told reporters.
She said a key principle European leaders had always upheld was "nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine."
Ukraine to sharply increase gas imports through new route
12:36 , Alex CroftUkraine is set to sharply increase gas imports via the southern Transbalkan route linking it with Greece on Friday as it battles to replace supplies lost due to Russian attacks, import data from transit operators showed.
Drone and missile assaults on infrastructure have deprived Kyiv of at least half of its own gas production in recent months, forcing it to import an additional 4 billion cubic metres of gas over the winter heating season to make up the difference.
The operator data showed that Ukraine expected to import 2.28 million cubic metres of gas via the route on Friday versus 1.28 million on Thursday. It did not give figures beyond that.
Ukraine resumed gas imports via the Transbalkan route - which crosses Moldova, Romania and Bulgaria - in early November following a sharp increase in Russian assaults.
Germany supportive of US plan but committed to Ukrainian sovereignty
12:19 , Alex CroftThe German government is supportive in principle of Washington's plan to end the war in Ukraine, but it is committed to Ukrainian sovereignty and security guarantees for the country, a government spokesperson said on Friday.
Berlin "supports, in principle, these efforts by the U.S.," the spokesperson said.
"However, we also welcome and share the commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and (the) willingness to provide solid security guarantees to Ukraine."
Kremlin says Russia has not received official US peace proposal
12:02 , Alex CroftThe Kremlin said on Friday that Russia had not yet received anything official from the United States about a 28-point US peace plan for Ukraine, but it was ready to negotiate.
"There are certain ideas on the American side, but nothing substantive is currently being discussed,” Peskov said.
“We are completely open - we maintain our openness to peace negotiations.”
He added that Russian battlefield advances were shrinking Volodymyr Zelensky's options.
"The effective work of the Russian armed forces should convince Zelenskiy and his regime that it is better to negotiate and do so now. It's better to do this right now, rather than later. His room for decision-making is shrinking as he loses territory during the offensive actions of the Russian armed forces," he said.
Continuing the war was "pointless and dangerous" for Ukraine, Peskov said. "The [Ukrainian] regime must make a responsible decision. Do it now and assume responsibility."
Watch: White House expresses confidence as Ukraine peace plan advances
11:39 , Alex CroftStarmer to join call between leaders on US-Russia proposed peace plan
11:21 , Alex CroftBritish prime minister Keir Starmer will take part in a call with German chancellor Friedrich Merz on Friday about a US-Russian plan to end the war in Ukraine, a government source said.
Mr Merz earlier cancelled an event to join the call, two government sources told Reuters.
The chancellor will also hold calls with US president Donald Trump and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss the plan, according to German tabloid Bild.
Moscow claims control over string of villages in Donetsk
11:02 , Alex CroftRussia's Defence Ministry has said on Friday that its forces had captured a string of settlements in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region.
These include the villages of Yampil, Stavky, Novoselivka and Maslyakivkaas well as the village of Radisne in neighbouring Dnipropetrovsk region, state news agency RIA said.
The Independent could not verify the battlefield reports.
Ukraine says forces are holding defensive lines in northern Pokrovsk
10:43 , Alex CroftUkraine has said its forces are holding defensive lines in the northern part of the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk and were blocking attempts by Russian troops to advance further.
Moscow's forces have ground towards the logistics hub for months to try to capture Pokrovsk, which Russian media has dubbed as the "gateway" to Ukraine's industrial Donbas region.
The chief of Russia's general staff said late on Thursday that Russian troops had taken 70 per cent of the city, as well as the entire northeastern city of Kupiansk - claims Ukraine swiftly denied.
In a statement on Friday, Kyiv's 7th Rapid Response Corps said it was inflicting heavy losses on Russian troops and bolstering its own forces, including with drone units.
"The enemy is trying to cross the railway to increase the area of occupation of the city, but our troops are blocking these attempts," it said.
"The enemy's troops in Pokrovsk are being ground down. As a result, the enemy is having to replenish its losses among personnel."
Zelensky-Trump call on peace deal to be held next week - report
10:18 , Alex CroftVolodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump are set to hold a call next week after the Ukrainian president called for talks on Washington’s peace proposal, Sky News is reporting.
The talks will come after Mr Zelensky holds talks with leaders of the UK, France, Italy and Germany.
Europe is preparing to resist the plan, with objections having already been heard from countries including Poland, Italy and France.
The broadcaster reports that the EU is hoping US secretary of state Marco Rubio will turn things in their favour.
Kyiv denies agreeing to Trump peace plan
10:13 , Alex CroftThe head of Ukraine’s peace delegation, Rustem Umerov, has denied reports in US media that he agreed to the ‘majority’ of Donald Trump’s proposed peace deal.
A senior US source had told the New York Post that Kyiv had “agreed to the majority of the plan” but was not yet ready to “sign off”.
Mr Umerov, who is the secretary of Ukraine’s National Security Council, said: “I have not provided any assessments or more so agreements of any points. It is not within my powers and is not in accordance with procedure.”
He said work towards a peace plan will continue “at the technical level between teams”, adding that Kyiv will examine all proposals while “expecting the same correct attitude to the Ukrainian position”.
Mr Umerov added: “Publications in the media about alleged ‘agreement’ or ‘extraction of points’ have nothing to do with reality. These are examples of unverified information that emerged out of the context of consultations.”
Merz to join urgent call with other leaders on US-Russian plan
10:02 , Alex CroftGerman chancellor Friedrich Merz will join an urgent call with other leaders about a US-Russian plan to end the war in Ukraine on Friday, Bloomberg reported citing a government official.
The country’s foreign minister Johann Wadephul earlier said that he sees the plan as a list of issues that need to be urgently discussed between Ukraine and Russia, but underlined that it is not a final plan.
"The German position is the European position, and that means we are backing Ukraine. We want to ensure that Ukraine can discuss these points from a position of strength," said Mr Wadephul in Brussels, where he is attending an Indo-Pacific ministerial meeting.
EU will support any Ukraine peace plan if it brings just and lasting peace - Kallas
09:30 , Alex CroftThe European Union would support any peace plan for Ukraine as long as it brings a lasting and just peace and if it involves Ukraine and the EU, the EU's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Friday.
"As for the peace plan we understand the President (Volodymyr) Zelenskiy has been presented with, we have always said for any plan to work it needs to be with Ukraine and the Europeans on board," she said in a speech in Brussels.
In pictures: Blackouts, fires and damage across Ukraine
09:15 , Alex Croft Trump peace deal ‘absolutely unacceptable’ for Ukraine, warns Kyiv MP
08:57 , Alex CroftDonald Trump’s proposed peace deal is “absolutely unacceptable”, a Ukrainian MP has told The Independent.
Oleksandr Merezhko, a lawmaker in Volodymyr Zelensky’s ruling Servant of the People party who is also chair of the parliament’s foreign policy committee, described the plan as a “total failure” with “controversial and contradictory points”.
“It starts with the principle of respect or confirmation of Ukraine sovereignty, and this is the only point which I would leave. All other points, they are in favor of Russia,” he said.
“I suspect that Trump might be starting with this ludicrous ideas, ludicrous plan, plan in order to bring to the table both parties.”
Mr Merezhko added that the plan will “never” be acceptable for Ukraine and warned that “politically, it’s not going to work anyway”.
Watch: US has power to make Russia serious about ending Ukraine war, Zelensky says
08:53 , Alex CroftWhat is in Trump's draft Russia-Ukraine peace plan?
08:37 , Alex CroftVolodymyr Zelensky is mulling over a new plan for peace in Ukraine, which would see the size of its military reduced and see it forced to cede key territories to Russia.
Senior US officials are claiming that Kyiv has agreed to the majority of the peace plan proposed by Washington, but that it is yet to sign off on it.
But what does the plan really involve? Here are the key points:
Ceasefire and military
A comprehensive non-aggression agreement will be concluded, with all ambiguities of the last 30 years considered settled.
Ukraine will receive reliable guarantees, including European fighter jets stationed in Poland, and Russia will commit to not invading neighbouring countries.
The US will be paid for security guarantees, which will be relinquished if Ukraine undertakes any military action against Russia.
The size of the Ukrainian Armed Forces will be reduced to 600,000 personnel and will remain a non-nuclear state.
Russia, meanwhile, will enshrine in law its policy of non-aggression towards Europe and Ukraine.
All remaining prisoners and bodies will be exchanged, with civilian detainees and hostages all returned.
Territory
Crimea, Luhansk and Donetsk will be recognised as de facto Russian, while Kherson and Zaporizhzhia will be frozen along the line of contact.
Kyiv’s forces will withdraw from the part of the Donetsk region they currently control, which will become a neutral demilitarised buffer zone belonging to Russia
International relations
Russia would not invade neighbouring countries and Nato will not expand further, with the two set to hold talks on security issues and de-escalation mediated by the US.
No Nato troops would be stationed in Ukraine, and the country will not become part of the alliance. But it will be eligible for EU membership.
All parties in the war will receive full amnesty and no legal action will be pursued.
Sanctions
Russia will be reintegrated to the global economy, with the lifting of sanctions agreed upon in stages and on. case-by-case basis.
It will be invited to rejoin the G8.
Rebuilding Ukraine
A global package of measures will be established to rebuild Ukraine, including a Ukrainian Development Fund.
$100 billion in frozen Russian assets will be invested in US-led efforts to rebuild and invest in Ukraine, with the US receiving 50 per cent of the profits from this venture.
Ukraine will hold elections in 100 days.
US official claims Kyiv has agreed to 'majority' of Trump's peace deal - report
08:02 , Alex CroftA senior US official has claimed that Kyiv has given positive signals Donald Trump’s new peace deal, which demands that Ukraine give up the Donbas and reduce its armed forces, according to a report.
The New York Post reported officials saying they had received “positive feedback” from Rustem Umerov, Ukraine’s secretary of the National Security and Defence Council who has been leading Kyiv’s peace delegation, during discussions with US special envoy Steve Witkoff in recent weeks.
The source said he would not say Ukraine has "full-heartedly… agreed to it and they're ready to sign off", but that they “agreed to the majority of the plan”.
“One of the most politically explosive provisions calls for full amnesty for all parties involved in wartime actions, eliminating any future legal claims over battlefield conduct,” the
The outlet reported that one of the provisions calls for full amnesty for al parties involved in wartime actions, therefore eliminating future legal claims - a provision which a senior White House official said was proposed by Kyiv.
Our position must be respected, warns Ukraine
07:51 , Alex CroftUkraine expects other parties to respect its position as work on studying peace proposals continues with its American partners on the technical level in Kyiv on Friday.
"We are carefully studying all of our partners' proposals and expect the same proper attitude towards Ukraine's position," Rustem Umerov, secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, said.
How has Europe reacted to Trump's peace plan favouring Moscow?
07:35 , Arpan RaiEuropean countries have pushed back against the proposed peace plan. The EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said any agreement must have European countries and Ukraine itself on board.
Polish foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski said Ukraine, as the victim in the conflict, should not have restrictions imposed on its ability to defend itself.
Jean-Noel Barrot, the French foreign minister, said: "Ukrainians want peace – a just peace that respects everyone’s sovereignty, a durable peace that can’t be called into question by future aggression. But peace cannot be a capitulation.”
Spain’s foreign minister, Jose Manuel Albares, said on Thursday that any peace plan for Ukraine cannot be done without Ukraine and the European Union.
A peace plan must also guarantee the existence of a sovereign and democratic Ukrainian state, he told reporters in Brussels before a meeting with his European Union counterparts.
Ukraine tells UN their 'land not for sale'
07:16 , Arpan RaiUkraine's deputy UN ambassador Khrystyna Hayovyshyn told the UN Security Council that Kyiv has officially received Donald Trump's draft peace plan and is ready "to work constructively," but she stressed Ukraine's "red lines”.
“There will never be any recognition, formal or otherwise, of Ukrainian territory temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation as Russian," she said. "Our land is not for sale,” she said, largely rejecting the premise of deal which openly favours Moscow.
"Ukraine will not accept any limits on its right to self-defence or on the size and capabilities of our armed forces, nor will we tolerate any infringement on our sovereignty, including our sovereign right to choose the alliances we want to join," Hayovyshyn added.
Kremlin says it has not yet been told that Kyiv is ready to discuss Trump peace plan
06:50 , Arpan RaiThe Kremlin has not yet been informed that Ukraine is ready to hold negotiations around a peace plan proposed by US president Donald Trump, Russia's RIA state news agency cited it as saying today.
President Donald Trump's plan for ending the war in Ukraine would cede land to Russia and limit the size of Kyiv's military, according to a draft obtained yesterday by The Associated Press.
The proposal, originating from negotiations between Washington and Moscow, appeared decidedly favorable to Russia, which started the war nearly four years ago by invading its neighbour.
If past is prologue, it would seem untenable for Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, who has opposed Trump's previous calls for territorial concessions.
Russia will rejoin G7 in Trump's new peace plan
06:27 , Arpan RaiRussia will rejoin the G7 under Donald Trump’s proposed peace plan for Ukraine, according to a report.
Russia will also be given majority of its frozen assets and freed from Western sanctions, The Telegraph has reported.
Washington has been secretly forming a plan with Russia to end the war in Ukraine. The new 28-point plan would consist of “security guarantees, security in Europe, and future US relations with Russia and Ukraine”, officials said.
It comes amid a fresh attempt by the US to force through a peace between Moscow and Kyiv after several diplomatic overtures faltered in recent months.
The Independent had reported earlier on the cash-for-land deal the US is pitching to Ukraine.
The US officials working on a new peace plan could force Ukraine to lease a part of its territory to Russia, people aware of the situation said.
The deal would ask Kyiv to cede control of the eastern Donbas region, while retaining legal ownership of the territory, officials familiar with the deal told The Telegraph.
Russia would pay an undisclosed rental fee for the region, they said. Russian will be the official state language and the Russian orthodox church would be given official status in the occupied territories.
The deal will also slash the size of Ukraine’s military in half and ban them from possessing long-range missiles, the report added.
The deployment of foreign troops will also be blocked under this deal, US military assistance will also cease and foreign diplomatic aircraft will be prevented from landing in the country.
Zelensky ready for 'honest' work on US-backed plan as Europeans push back
06:26 , Arpan RaiPresident Volodymyr Zelensky said after talks with a top US Army official that he was ready for "honest" work with Washington on a plan to end the war in Ukraine, while European allies pushed back against punishing concessions to Russia.
Zelensky, whose office said he had received a draft of the plan, said after meeting US army secretary Daniel Driscoll in Kyiv that Ukraine and Washington would work together on elements of it.
"Our teams – Ukraine and the USA – will work on the points of the plan to end the war," Zelensky wrote on Telegram. "We are ready for constructive, honest and prompt work."
Zelensky's office did not comment directly on the content of the 28-point plan, which has not been officially published, but said he had "outlined the fundamental principles that matter to our people."
"In the coming days, the president of Ukraine expects to discuss with president Trump the existing diplomatic opportunities and the key points required to achieve peace," it said.
Watch: Zelensky says ready for honest work after talks with top US army official
06:01 , Arpan RaiHow Trump's peace plan risks bad deal for Ukraine and a win for Putin
05:57 , Arpan RaiDonald Trump's push to end the war could drive a wedge between himself and European leaders, who are likely to oppose any agreement that could be seen as rewarding Russian president Vladimir Putin for his aggression, leaving him emboldened rather than defeated.
For example, the proposal would not only bar Ukraine from joining Nato but would also prevent the alliance's future expansion. Such a step would be a significant victory for Moscow, which views Nato as a threat.
Putin would also gain ground he has been unable to win on the battlefield. Under the draft, Moscow would hold all the eastern Donbas region, even though approximately 14 per cent still remains in Ukrainian hands. Ukraine's military, currently at roughly 880,000 troops, would be reduced to 600,000.
The proposal opens the door to lifting sanctions on Russia and returning it to what was formerly known as the Group of Eight, which includes many of the world's biggest economies.
Russia was suspended from the annual gathering in 2014 following its annexation of Crimea, a strategically important peninsula on the northern coast of the Black Sea that is internationally recognized as part of Ukraine.
Russia says 33 Ukrainian drones destroyed overnight
05:38 , Arpan RaiAt least 33 Ukrainian drones had been intercepted and destroyed over five Russian regions, Crimea and the Black sea overnight, the Russian defence ministry said.
At least eight Russian airports had been forced to suspend operations during the night, according to Russia's aviation watchdog.
Two people had been injured in the city of Slavyansk-on-Kuban in the Krasnodar region in southern Russia and classes at schools and kindergartens had been suspended due to a drone attack, the local emergencies centre said.
In the Rostov region, where seven drones had been downed, an electricity pylon was damaged, leaving over 200 houses without power, Yuri Slyusar, the local governor, wrote on the Telegram messaging app.
Russian troops disguising themselves as civilians in combat, says Ukrainian commander
05:30 , Arpan RaiRussian forces are dressing up as civilians to confuse Ukraine’s defensive forces in the eastern town of Pokrovsk, Kyiv’s military has said.
The commander of the 68th Jaeger Brigade, codenamed "Liutyi”, told Ukrainian national broadcaster Suspilne that Russian troops are acting more like “sabotage and reconnaissance” groups rather than following any typical procedures of war.
"The most difficult thing is that they disguise themselves as civilians. They have been changing clothes for a long time and receive instructions to do so. Sometimes we identify the enemy only after the start of the firefight, because civilians will not open fire on our units,” Liutyi said.
Russian troops disguising themselves as civilians in Pokrovsk, says Ukraine
Money laundering networks lead from Britain to Russia, UK says
05:24 , Arpan RaiA billion-dollar money laundering network that operated across Britain bought a controlling stake in a Kyrgyzstani bank to facilitate sanctions evasion and support Russia's war in Ukraine, the National Crime Agency said this morning.
In an update to an international investigation into Russian money laundering networks, dubbed "Operation Destabilise", the NCA said it was highlighting the scale of networks it was disrupting that convert cash from street crime into cryptocurrency and tie the local drugs trade to organised and state-sponsored crime.
The NCA and the US Treasury Department last December cast a spotlight on TGR and Smart, two networks they said were used by rich Russians to evade sanctions and which London said laundered cash for drug traffickers, criminals and spies in a "cash-for-crypto" swap.
What is in Trump’s controversial ‘secret peace plan’ to end the Russia-Ukraine war?
05:15 , Arpan RaiDonald Trump has given his approval for a controversial new peace plan to end the war between Ukraine and Russia, according to reports.
The new 28-point plan would consist of “security guarantees, security in Europe, and future US relations with Russia and Ukraine”, Axios reported, citing sources.
But it has caused outrage as it would require Kyiv to give up more land to Russia and partially disarm, conditions long seen by Ukraine and its allies as tantamount to capitulation.
Mr Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is said to have discussed the plan with Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev and Volodymyr Zelensky’s security adviser Rustem Umerov, according to officials from Washington and Kyiv.
The stark details inside Trump’s controversial ‘secret peace plan’ to end Ukraine war
Revealed: The Russian commander wanted by Ukraine over Bucha massacres
05:00 , Arpan RaiA Russian commander has become the first military official to be accused of systematic and coordinated war crimes related to the Bucha massacre, one of the bloodiest atrocities of the war in Ukraine.
Yurii Vladimirovich Kim, 28, the lieutenant platoon commander in the 76th Air Assault Division, is suspected of being criminally responsible for ordering troops to commit war crimes, including the wilful killing of civilians, during the illegal occupation of Bucha between 7 March and 1 April 2022 in the early stages of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Kim is suspected to be responsible for 17 killings and four instances of ill-treatment purposely committed by forces under his command.
Revealed: The Russian commander wanted by Ukraine over Bucha massacres
Putin is still pulling Trump’s puppet strings with a new Ukraine ‘peace’ plan – but they can be cut
04:45 , Arpan RaiHe let the performance play out. Donald Trump would give the impression of independence from the Kremlin, threatening sanctions on Russian fuel importers and muttering insults, but, in the end, Vladimir Putin has snapped the puppet strings tight, and the US president is again dancing the Moscow jig.
It is a desperate but effective move by Moscow to dominate the terms of discussion over a war Russia cannot win.
According to a 28-point plan for peace in Ukraine briefed to the media on Wednesday, the US and Russia have agreed that Kyiv should give up a vast tract of the east of the country, halve its army, abandon its constitutionally mandated Nato membership application, and give up any weapons that could be used in its future defence.
The Kremlin is pulling Trump’s puppet strings, but they can be cut
Watch: White House expresses confidence as Ukraine peace plan advances
04:37 , Arpan RaiZelensky ready for 'honest' work on US-backed plan as Europeans push back
04:09 , Arpan RaiPresident Volodymyr Zelensky said after talks with a top US Army official that he was ready for "honest" work with Washington on a plan to end the war in Ukraine, while European allies pushed back against punishing concessions to Russia.
Zelensky, whose office said he had received a draft of the plan, said after meeting US army secretary Daniel Driscoll in Kyiv that Ukraine and Washington would work together on elements of it.
"Our teams – Ukraine and the USA – will work on the points of the plan to end the war," Zelensky wrote on Telegram. "We are ready for constructive, honest and prompt work."
Zelensky's office did not comment directly on the content of the 28-point plan, which has not been officially published, but said he had "outlined the fundamental principles that matter to our people."
"In the coming days, the president of Ukraine expects to discuss with president Trump the existing diplomatic opportunities and the key points required to achieve peace," it said.
Russia will rejoin G7 in Trump's new peace plan
03:56 , Arpan RaiRussia will rejoin the G7 under Donald Trump’s proposed peace plan for Ukraine, according to a report.
Russia will also be given majority of its frozen assets and freed from Western sanctions, The Telegraph has reported.
Washington has been secretly forming a plan with Russia to end the war in Ukraine. The new 28-point plan would consist of “security guarantees, security in Europe, and future US relations with Russia and Ukraine”, officials said.
It comes amid a fresh attempt by the US to force through a peace between Moscow and Kyiv after several diplomatic overtures faltered in recent months.
The Independent had reported earlier on the cash-for-land deal the US is pitching to Ukraine.
The US officials working on a new peace plan could force Ukraine to lease a part of its territory to Russia, people aware of the situation said.
The deal would ask Kyiv to cede control of the eastern Donbas region, while retaining legal ownership of the territory, officials familiar with the deal told The Telegraph.
Russia would pay an undisclosed rental fee for the region, they said. Russian will be the official state language and the Russian orthodox church would be given official status in the occupied territories.
The deal will also slash the size of Ukraine’s military in half and ban them from possessing long-range missiles, the report added.
The deployment of foreign troops will also be blocked under this deal, US military assistance will also cease and foreign diplomatic aircraft will be prevented from landing in the country.
White House confirms secret peace deal and says it's good for both sides
03:36 , Arpan RaiWhite House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that the US is working on a new peace plan aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
"Special envoy Steve Witkoff and Marco Rubio have been working on a plan quietly for about the last month," she said in a press briefing yesterday.
"They've been engaging with both sides, Russia and Ukraine equally, to understand what these countries would commit to in order to see a lasting and durable peace,” Leavitt said, adding that she will not “litigate the details” of the plan.
"It's a good plan for both Russia and Ukraine, and we believe that it should be acceptable to both sides and we're working very hard to get it done,” the White House press secretary said.
Russian attack kills five in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia
03:19 , Arpan RaiA Russian attack on the southeastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia late yesterday killed five people and injured three, regional governor Ivan Fedorov said.
Pictures posted by Fedorov online showed buildings engulfed by flames and streets strewn with rubble.
The governor had earlier issued a warning of an impending attack by Russian guided bombs.
Ukraine rejects reports of Russian forces capturing Kupiansk
03:02 , Arpan RaiThe chief of Russia's general staff told president Vladimir Putin yesterday that Russian forces had taken control of the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kupiansk, but Ukraine's military denied the city had changed hands.
Ukraine also dismissed Russian statements that its forces had taken over large parts of two other towns – Pokrovsk, a logistics hub it has been pressing to capture for months, and Vovchansk, near the Russian border.
Putin had visited the command post of the Russian forces "West" grouping, where he met with chief of staff Valery Gerasimov, and top military brass, the Kremlin said earlier.
Putin had been briefed on the situation in two key cities in Ukraine's east, Kostiantynivka and Kramatorsk, as well as around Kupiansk in Kharkiv region, the Kremlin said.
"Units of the 'West' grouping have liberated the city of Kupiansk and are continuing to destroy Ukrainian armed forces units surrounded on the left bank of the Oskol River," Gerasimov told Putin in a video posted on the Kremlin site.
A late-evening statement by the Ukrainian military said: "The General Staff of Ukraine's armed forces hereby announces that Kupiansk is under the control of Ukraine's defence forces."
“Also untrue are statements suggesting that 80 per cent of Vovchansk in Kharkiv region has been captured and 70 per cent of the city of Pokrovsk," it added.
The general staff reported heavy fighting in the Pokrovsk sector, with Russian forces launching 56 attacks.
Russian attack kills five in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia, regional governor says
03:00 , Holly EvansA Russian attack on the southeastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia late on Thursday killed five people and injured three, regional governor Ivan Fedorov said.
Pictures posted by Fedorov online showed buildings engulfed by flames and streets strewn with rubble. The governor had earlier issued a warning of an impending attack by Russian guided bombs.
Defenceless Britain is a sitting duck – when Ukraine falls, we’re next
02:00 , Holly EvansOn Thursday, the defence secretary John Healey put Vladimir Putin and his military on notice following reports of aggressive activity by the Russian surveillance ship Yantar towards an RAF plane sent to track it off the north of Scotland.
Healey said the Yantar crew had fired laser beams at the pilots of an RAF P-8 maritime patrol plane.
“That Russian action is deeply dangerous,” he warned. “We see you. We know what you are doing. And if Yantar travels south this week, we are ready.”
Ready for what, you may ask? The activities of Yantar around the British Isles have been noted for nearly three years. The summer before last, the Irish coastguard spotted the ship loitering off Limerick for almost a month, close to one of the main hubs for the transatlantic communication cables.
The ship comes under Russia’s GUGI agency, a separate naval command, now responsible for ocean surveillance and sabotage. Among the GUGI inventory is a mother submarine, Belgorod, which can launch underwater attack drones capable of cutting underwater cables and oil and gas pipelines.
Read the full analysis from Robert Fox:
Defenceless Britain is a sitting duck – when Ukraine falls, we’re next
Russian forces take Ukraine's Kupiansk, top military official says
01:00 , Holly EvansThe chief of Russia's general staff told President Vladimir Putin on Thursday that Russian forces had taken control of the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kupiansk, but Ukraine's military denied the city had changed hands.
Ukraine also dismissed Russian statements that its forces had taken over large parts of two other towns -- Pokrovsk, a logistics hub it has been pressing to capture for months, and Vovchansk, near the Russian border.
Putin had visited the command post of the Russian forces "West" grouping, where he met with chief of staff Valery Gerasimov, and top military brass, the Kremlin said earlier.
Putin had been briefed on the situation in two key cities in Ukraine's east -- Kostiantynivka and Kramatorsk -- as well as around Kupiansk in Kharkiv region, the Kremlin said.
"Units of the 'West' grouping have liberated the city of Kupiansk and are continuing to destroy Ukrainian armed forces units surrounded on the left bank of the Oskol River," Gerasimov told Putin in a video posted on the Kremlin site.
Russia and Ukraine exchange bodies of dead soldiers
00:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainUkraine and Russia have carried out a new exchange of bodies of dead soldiers, Ukrainian officials and Russian state media said on Thursday.
Ukraine said it received 1,000 bodies and Russian state news agency TASS quoted an unidentified source as saying Moscow got back 30.
"Investigators from law enforcement bodies, together with expert agencies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, will soon conduct all necessary examinations and identify the repatriated bodies," Ukraine's prisoner-of-war coordination centre said on Telegram.
The two sides have conducted a series of such swaps, as well as exchanging live prisoners, in the course of the war that began with Russia's full-blown invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
Ukraine has previously accused Russia of returning bodies in a disorderly way, and of sometimes sending the bodies of Russian soldiers. Moscow has denied this.
Poland detains several people in connection with explosion on railway used to supply aid to Ukraine
Thursday 20 November 2025 23:30 , Maryam Zakir-HussainPoland has detained several people linked with an explosion on a railway track used to transport weapons to Ukraine, Polish authorities have said.
An explosion damaged a railway track near Mika village in Poland on Sunday, which prime minister Donald Tusk described as an “unprecedented act of sabotage”.
Read more here:
Several arrests made in connection with explosion on Polish railway
Inside Putin’s plan to crush Ukraine this winter – and why it might work
Thursday 20 November 2025 23:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainSurviving the cold season is simply not possible without light and heat, and the resilience of ordinary long-suffering Ukrainians is about to face its most serious test of the war so far. Owen Matthews reports on Putin’s plan to deliver his fatal blow:
Inside Putin’s plan to crush Ukraine this winter – and why it might work
Ukraine must determine its future, Starmer says in response to US-backed plan
Thursday 20 November 2025 22:52 , Holly EvansSir Keir Starmer has said “the future of Ukraine must be determined by Ukraine” amid reports the US has been secretly forging a plan with Russia to end the war.
The White House is said to have pressed Kyiv to accept an agreement under which the invaded country would be required to give up territory and accept limits on the size of its army.
Volodymyr Zelensky indicated he was ready to work on the Washington-backed plan.
Speaking to reporters on the flight to the G20 summit in South Africa, the Prime Minister said: “You’ll have seen the statement that Ukraine’s put out this afternoon, so that makes their position absolutely clear.
“My position has always been focused on a just and lasting peace. That’s why we have done so much work on the Coalition of the Willing.
“But that is premised on the principle underpinning that, which is central to me, which is that the future of Ukraine must be determined by Ukraine and we must never lose sight of that principle underpinning the just and lasting peace that we all want to see.”
