【Text by Observer Net, Xiong Chaoran】 After the exposure of the "28-point peace plan" between the US and Russia, Ukraine and its European allies were on edge, quickly discussing a "counter-proposal".

On the evening of November 23 local time, Bloomberg reported, citing informed sources, that Ukraine and its European allies will submit a counter-proposal to the United States later that day in Switzerland. Ukraine and Europe insist that any discussion on territorial exchanges with Russia will only take place after the fighting stops along the current contact line.

According to anonymous sources, the response of Ukraine and Europe to the "28-point peace plan" is to demand that the United States provide security guarantees similar to the collective defense clause in the NATO Charter, and to demand that frozen Russian assets be used for reconstruction and compensation for Kyiv, while also rejecting Russia's request for Ukraine to cede territories in the east not occupied by Russian forces.

Additionally, according to this counter-proposal, the United States will be compensated for the strong security guarantees it provides, while Russian assets will remain frozen until Russia agrees to pay for the damage it has caused. Furthermore, if Russia complies with the agreement, other sanctions will be lifted in stages, and Russia will gradually return to the global economic system.

Photo of Trump, Zelensky, and Putin

According to reports, as Ukraine and its European allies made this response, the national security advisors of the United States, Ukraine, and European countries met in Geneva, Switzerland, on November 23 local time to discuss the peace plan that President Trump is pushing for a rapid conclusion.

Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian presidential office, said on social media platform X that he had met with the national security advisors of the UK, France, and Germany. He added that his next meeting would be with the U.S. delegation, saying, "The atmosphere at present is very constructive."

Previously, several foreign media outlets reported on November 20 local time that Trump was following an "aggressive timeline" to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict before the end of the year, trying to force Ukraine to accept the new 28-point peace plan drafted by the US and Russia. The main contents include requiring Ukraine to give up territory in the eastern Donbas region, limiting the size of the Ukrainian army to 600,000 people, writing into the Ukrainian constitution that it will never join NATO, and inviting Russia to rejoin G8.

It is said that the US is pressuring Ukrainian President Zelensky to sign the agreement by next Thursday (November 27) before Thanksgiving, with the goal of submitting the peace agreement in Moscow by the end of the month and completing all procedures by early December.

Because many of the plan's contents exceed Ukraine's long-standing "red lines," it is considered "severely biased towards Russia" and "very in line with Russian interests," being called the "mineral agreement 2.0." Analysts believe the negotiations will continue, and Trump's timetable seems extremely difficult to achieve.

On the evening of November 21, Trump publicly pressured Ukraine to accept the proposal within a week during an interview with Fox News. Trump spoke strongly, recalling his heated confrontation with Zelensky in the White House in February: "Do you remember what happened in the Oval Office not long ago? I told him then, 'You have no cards in your hand.'"

On the same day, Ukrainian President Zelensky admitted that the peace plan that recognizes Russia's core demands has put Ukraine in a dilemma: either lose dignity and freedom or lose American support, but Ukraine will not accept terms that damage its freedom and dignity. At the same time, Ukraine and the UK, France, and Germany are drafting a counter-proposal.

After Trump issued a "last warning" to Zelensky, Russia gave a positive response, while Ukraine, European countries, and even some Republicans expressed opposition.

On the evening of November 22, the European Council, the European Commission, European countries, and G7 members Canada and Japan issued a statement during the G20 summit held in South Africa, opposing the content of the agreement that reduces Ukraine's borders or limits the size of the Ukrainian military.

On the same day, Trump said that the "28-point peace plan" was not the final version. "No, it's not my final plan," Trump said when asked if these terms had no room for negotiation. He did not specify which parts might be adjusted, but stated, "We hope to achieve peace, which should have been realized long ago."

The Wall Street Journal believes that both the current divergence between the US and Europe, as well as any benefits Russia may gain from the peace agreement in the future, should be attributed to Russia's consistent negotiation strategy. Especially in recent weeks, as the Russian army has made more significant progress on the battlefield, it has added more leverage to its negotiation demands.

"The Russians have always been very firm," said Thomas Graham, a researcher at the U.S. think tank the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR): "If diplomatic means can meet their demands, they will accept it. Otherwise, they are prepared to continue fighting on the battlefield."

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