Trump saw the strong international reaction and started to backtrack! The first statement: This is not the final plan. The second statement: This was written by Putin, I just relayed it. It's really embarrassing.
Amid the international controversy sparked by the Trump administration's push for Ukrainian peace negotiations, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called multiple senators on Saturday afternoon, clearly clarifying that the leaked "28-point peace plan" was not an American proposal, but rather a Russian "wish list." Rubio emphasized that the U.S. only acted as a "mediator" in delivering the proposal to Ukraine, aiming to give Kyiv an opportunity to respond, not to impose conditions.
This clarification came during the Halifax International Security Forum, where several senators publicly expressed concerns about the plan. Independent Senator Angus King (I-ME) stated that Rubio clearly told them, "This is not the government's position - it's essentially a Russian wish list."
Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) added that in the call, Rubio reiterated that the plan originated from a Russian proposal, and the U.S. only served as a messenger to address public discussions following the media exposure.
Rubio's phone call was initiated at the request of senators, who were en route to Geneva, Switzerland, preparing to meet with Ukrainian advisors, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, and Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff.
The Geneva meeting is scheduled to start on Sunday, focusing on hearing Ukraine's feedback on the proposal, after which the U.S. will engage in further consultations with Russia.
Shaheen revealed that Rubio also denied rumors that Trump planned to cut off intelligence sharing or military aid to Ukraine if they rejected the proposal.
To ease concerns within Congress and allies, Rubio authorized the senators to publicly disclose his statements.
Republican Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD) told PBS reporter Nick Schifrin on site at the forum, "Rubio clearly told us this is not our recommendation or peace plan... we are merely acting as intermediaries to share this leaked proposal, giving Ukraine an opportunity to respond."
Rounds emphasized that the move aimed to promote dialogue, not to favor one side.
The "28-point plan" was exposed by The Washington Post on Friday, including provisions such as Ukraine significantly reducing its military size (to 600,000), recognizing Crimea as de facto under Russian control, and ceding parts of Donetsk/Luhansk territories.
Congressional hawks like King and Shaheen criticized the plan as "rewarding aggression," calling it "the worst geopolitical mistake of my life."
The White House and Department of State have yet to officially respond to Rubio's clarification, but the Geneva talks are expected to be a key turning point. (Diao Gong Tian Lang)
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1849570286557188/
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