Speaking outside the White House to reporters, the US president was asked if the 28-point plan was the “final offer”.
“No, not by far,” he says.
He adds: “We’d like to get the peace, it should’ve happened a long time ago. The Ukraine war with Russia should’ve never happened. If I was president it would have never happened. We’re trying to get it ended. One way or another, we have to get it ended.”
In response to another question, he goes on to say: “Then he can continue to fight his little heart out,” – but it isn’t clear who he’s referring to.
Previously, when in the Oval Office with New York mayor elect Zohran Mamdani, Trump said Zelenskyy will “have to like” the plan.
“We think we have a way of getting peace. He’s going to have to approve it,” the US president added at the time.
European leaders express concern over US-Russian peace plan
European leaders have said the US-Russian peace plan needs “additional work”.
A joint statement expressed concern about proposed limitations on the Ukrainian army, leaving it vulnerable to attack.
They insisted Ukraine’s borders must not be altered.
Elements of the plan relating to the EU and NATO require their consent, it added.
They will coordinate closely with Ukraine and the US in the coming days.
Starmer: The focus for Ukraine is on Geneva peace talks tomorrow
British PM Sir Keir Starmer says that the focus for Kyiv’s allies now is on peace talks in Geneva tomorrow.
Speaking to reporters at the G20 summit in South Africa, Starmer says:
“I think the focus very much now is on Geneva tomorrow and whether we can make progress tomorrow morning.”
Starmer adds that he intends to speak to Donald Trump in the coming days, and Volodymyr Zelenskyy this evening.
He also says that in the event of any ceasefire, Ukraine “has to be able to defend itself”, hence why he and allies raised concerns over limits on Kyiv’s military.
Starmer goes on:
“It was mainly allies from the Coalition of the Willing, who are here in the G20, and the consensus was that there are elements in the 28-point plan which are essential to lasting peace, but it requires additional work, and that we are going to engage on that.
“And that’s why there’s been the agreement that in Geneva tomorrow, you’ll have senior US personnel, you’ll have European NSAs (national security advisers), including the UK NSA, and obviously Ukrainians there to work further on the draft.”
