President Volodymyr Zelensky says pressure on his country to agree to a new 28-point peace plan brokered by the US is causing one of the most difficult moments in Ukraine's history.

He says Ukraine is now facing a choice between "losing its dignity or losing a key partner" - a reference to the United States.

The leaked 28-point plan - drawn up by the Trump administration - proposes that Ukraine:

• Hand over territory that is not occupied, and would also see Russia holding onto much of the Ukrainian territory that is under its occupation - Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk
• Hold elections within 100 days
• And reduce the size of its military and abandon hopes of joining Nato.

These "peace terms", writes the BBC's security correspondent Frank Gardner, all put Ukraine in an impossible situation.

Elsewhere, Vladimir Putin has backed Washington's proposals adding it can form the "basis of final peace settlement".

Ukraine is to put forward its own peace plan, but there isn't much time as Donald Trump says he believes the deadline to agree his deal, should be, next Thursday.

We are going to be pausing our coverage of this developing news story. You can head here to catch up on everything you need to know about the 28-point plan or head here for the main news article to digest today's developments.

The US is putting renewed pressure on Ukraine, something it hasn't done for some timepublished at 22:06 GMT 21 November 2025

22:06 GMT 21 November 2025

Tom Bateman
Reporting from Washington

Image source, Reuters

The pressure from Washington on Ukraine is now at a level unseen since March, when Trump temporarily cut weapons and intelligence sharing to Kyiv.

That was after the ambush in the Oval Office when Zelensky was assailed by Trump and called ungrateful and disrespectful by JD Vance. Now Vance, along with his long-term friend and Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, is back at the forefront of the diplomacy.

And, as a person familiar with the negotiations has confirmed to the BBC, Washington is now once again threatening to remove US support to Ukraine as part of the deadline imposed by Trump for Zelensky to respond to the 28-point plan by Thursday.

In Trump’s radio interview earlier today, he confirmed the date (but not the ultimatum). He made several references to how Ukraine was under significant pressure on the battlefield.

This felt like a man setting out how Ukraine now had to make its choice.

And Zelensky seems to be summing it up from his vantage point: a choice between dignity or survival in the form of continued US support.

No good options for Ukrainepublished at 21:29 GMT 21 November 2025

21:29 GMT 21 November 2025

Frank Gardner
Security correspondent

Image source, Reuters

Ukraine now finds itself in an almost impossible position.

In Donald Trump’s eagerness to end the war, an admirable aim in itself, the US president appears oblivious to the very real concern expressed by Ukrainians, namely that the "peace terms" effectively dictated by Moscow will leave Ukraine unable to sufficiently defend itself for the day when President Putin comes back for more.

If Ukraine rejects these terms then it risks losing US weapons and US intelligence. The latter it can largely do without these days.

It was vital in the early months of the full-scale invasion in 2022 but since then Kyiv has found an alternative: suppliers of commercial satellite intelligence.

This has been so accurate and so timely that it has been instrumental in enabling Ukraine’s deep strikes hundreds – or even thousands - of kilometres inside Russia.

Former UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told the BBC: "Kyiv will cope without US intelligence... the world has moved on, and the ability to collect intelligence from a range of data sources is much more possible."

But, what Kyiv can’t do without is Western weaponry, especially the Patriot air defence missiles needed to intercept Russia’s nightly bombardment using ballistic and cruise missiles.

Ukraine’s rather more reliable European allies can make up some of the shortfall but the loss of the US as a strategic partner would be a major blow and likely to encourage Putin to redouble his efforts to pummel his neighbour into submission.

Donald Trump has just been asked in the Oval Office about the leaked US-Russia plan for an end to the war in Ukraine.

"We have a plan," says Trump, who was taking questions alongside the newly elected mayor of New York.

Referring to the Ukrainian leader, Trump adds: "We think we have a way of getting peace. He is going to have to approve it."

Trump then takes another question and says: "At some point he is going to have to accept something."

Earlier Zelensky told Ukrainians that the country was facing some of the most difficult choices in its history.

• Read more about the leaked plan here

Vitaliy Shevchenko
Russia editor, BBC Monitoring

It's a grim moment for Ukraine. For many, their country is now under attack not just from Russia, but also from the US - which appears to support Vladimir Putin's maximalist demands.

To make matters worse, Volodymyr Zelensky now finds itself mired in a corruption scandal that threatens to undermine trust in him at this critical time.

"We must say no to our 'key partner'," says prominent journalist Natalia Lyhachova, external, referring to the US. "That's a given: how can this so-called 28-point plan be accepted?"

Another key commentator, Vitaly Portnikov, argues, external that the plan only emboldens Putin and shows him that he's well under way to "destroying Ukraine's statehood".

Some are insulted that the plan was formally handed to the Ukrainians on eve of Dignity and Freedom Day - which is marked in the country today.

"There's no dignity there and our freedom is not guaranteed," says prominent volunteer Serhiy Prytula, external. "But what should we expect from people who are telling us to forget and forgive and engage in trade and cultural exchange with the Russians, and visit each other?!!"

This is a reference to recent remarks by US Vice President JD Vance, external who urged Russians and Ukrainians to "travel between the two countries and engage in some sort of cultural exchange".

There are also those who are pointing the finger at Zelensky. In his address to the nation, he should have acknowledged "how badly the massive corruption scandal weakens the state and affects morale", argues journalist Myroslava Barchuk, external.

He should also have pledged to work to restore public trust in him after some of his closest associates were implicated in the row, she says.

But for some, after all the tragedy and sacrifices they have been through, there is no turning back.

"I've given everything to Ukraine. And my friends died for me," says Petro Shuklinov, external, a journalist who joined the Ukrainian army. "That's why I'll keep on doing what I can, as long as I can. Friends, I'm urging you to join me... It's simple for me: Ukraine or death."

Under the plans, there are proposals for the Ukrainian regions of Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk to be recognised by the US and others as de facto Russian territory. Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 but this was not recognised by the vast majority of the international community.

According to the US plans, the conflict would be frozen at the existing front lines in two other Ukrainian oblasts — Kherson and Zaporizhia — effectively allowing Russia to hold onto cities like Mariupol and retain a land connection to Crimea.

Zelensky has long refused to give up any new territory or recognise Russian control over Crimea and instead has called for the war to be paused on the existing conflict lines.

Below is a detailed map showing the areas which are currently under Russian military control.

Trump's changing tone on Ukraine's territorypublished at 19:50 GMT 21 November 2025

19:50 GMT 21 November 2025

Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from the White House

Image source, Reuters

Just a few short months ago, US President Donald Trump shocked observers by saying that Ukraine can recover the territory it's lost to Russia - and "maybe even go further than that".

In a post made during his trip to the UN General Assembly, Trump said that he had come to that conclusion "after getting to know and fully understand the Ukraine/Russia Military and Economic situation".

Before that, Trump had suggested a land "swap" may be necessary for the war to come to an end.

On 17 October - during a White House visit by Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky - I had an opportunity to ask Trump directly if he still thought that was the case. He sounded less optimistic.

"You never know," he responded. "War is very interesting."

Now, his assessment again seems to have changed. In an interview with Fox Radio earlier today, he said that Ukraine will lose territory "in a short period of time."

Image source, SPUTNIK/KREMLIN POOL/EPA/Shutterstock

At the meeting with his security cabinet earlier, Putin said that "we are ready to show [the] flexibility asked from us", in what is seen as a veiled reference to a possible diplomatic settlement of the war.

But he also adds Ukraine and its European allies still have "an illusion that Russia can be strategically defeated" - and warns that more Ukrainian towns would fall under Russian control.

Citing the fate of the north-eastern town of Kupyansk - which Russia claims to have seized - Putin says the scenario there "will be repeated" again and again if the fighting continues.

"We are satisfied with this, because it leads us to achieving the goals of the special military operation [full-scale invasion] by military means," Putin adds.

Ukraine denies that Kupyansk in the Kharkiv region has been captured by Russia.

Keir Starmer, who as we just mentioned, held a call with Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky earlier, landed in South Africa ahead of the G20 Leaders' Summit in Johannesburg.

While there, he was asked about the leaked draft US plan to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Starmer told reporters that the ultimate goal is a "just and lasting peace" - but says that should be determined by Ukraine.

You can watch what the prime minister had to say below:

Vitaliy Shevchenko
Russia editor, BBC Monitoring

Image source, Reuters

Amid the pressure to agree to the settlement plan presented by the US and backed by Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has held several calls with allies from Europe and Nato.

He has discussed the plan with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Antonio Costa and Nato Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Zelensky's office says.

Earlier today, Zelensky also held a call with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

"Numerous meetings and phone calls are planned for the next few days. Teams from Ukraine, the US and Europe will be working together," President Zelensky's office said in a statement.

Promises of a security guarantee sound familiar - but hollowpublished at 18:50 GMT 21 November 2025

18:50 GMT 21 November 2025

Will Vernon
BBC News

Image source, Reuters

According to published drafts of the peace plan, Kyiv would receive reliable security guarantees from the US and Europe if it agrees to the deal.

While there are few details, it appears that this would be modelled on Nato’s Article 5 - meaning Western forces could respond militarily if Russia were to carry out another armed attack on Ukraine.

For many Ukrainians, such promises will sound familiar – and, perhaps, rather hollow.

In 1994, following the break-up of the Soviet Union, Ukraine agreed to give up its nuclear weapons stockpiles in exchange for security guarantees from the UK, US, France – and, most notably, Russia. This was known as the Budapest Memorandum.

Fast forward to 2015, there was the Minsk Agreements, brokered by France and Germany and signed between Russia and Ukraine after Moscow’s first invasion of its neighbour.

Under the accords, Kyiv was supposed to regain control over all of its state border and hold elections in those areas of the Donbas that Russian forces had seized.

It never happened, and President Zelensky later described the agreements as a “trap”. Seven years later, Russia staged a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Image source, Getty Images

Earlier, we heard Russian President Vladimir Putin say: "President Trump's peace plan for settling the situation in Ukraine was discussed before the meeting in Alaska."

That summit in Anchorage, which was billed as a vital step towards peace in Ukraine, took place just three months ago.

The Russian and American presidents emerged from that meeting with no ceasefire and no deal - all after welcoming Putin with a red carpet.

After a three-hour meeting, the US president said that he and Putin had made "some great progress", but gave few details about what that might be. Besides promising more meetings and continued talks, neither leader had much to say about Ukraine

Putin said the "root causes" of the conflict had to be eliminated before peace could be achieved, which set off alarm bells in Kyiv and beyond over Russia's massive demands.

"There were many, many points that we agreed on," Trump said, adding that "great progress" had been made in an "extremely productive meeting".

But he did not share any details, and it did not appear - at the time - that any concrete steps were taken towards a resolution of the conflict in Ukraine.

• Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukraine is facing one of the most difficult moments in its history and may face a choice between losing its dignity or its key partner - the United States
• In an address outside the presidential palace in Kyiv, Zelensky vowed to work round the clock to make sure any plans to end the war with Russia take account of Ukraine's interests - you can read more of what the president had to say here
• Zelensky also confirmed he held a call with US Vice-President JD Vance which lasted just under one hour
• The address follows reports of a leaked US 28-point peace plan which reflects many of Moscow's demands - including handing over territory and renouncing Ukraine's aspirations to join Nato - head here for full details and analysis
• Not long ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave his backing to the White House plan saying it can "form the basis of a final peace settlement" in Ukraine
• Earlier, President Trump told Fox Radio that he believes Thanksgiving - next Thursday - is an appropriate deadline for Ukraine to accept the deal

Vitaliy Shevchenko
Russia editor, BBC Monitoring

Image source, Getty Images

More now from Vladimir Putin, who has been addressing members of his security council in Moscow.

The Russian leader has given his backing to the 28-point plan, saying that it can "form the basis of final peace settlement" in Ukraine.

He says: "President Trump's peace plan for settling the situation in Ukraine was discussed before the meeting in Alaska.

"In the course of that discussion, the American side asked us to make certain compromises and show flexibility, as they said.

"During the talks in Anchorage, we confirmed that despite certain complex issues and difficulties for us, we still confirmed that we agree with those proposals."

Putin goes on to say that Ukraine refused to accept the proposals.

"I believe that is the reason why a new, in essence modernised version of the plan appeared, now comprising 28 points. We have its text," Putin says.

"I believe that it, too, can form the basis of final peace settlement."

Vladimir Putin says Russia has received the US settlement plan for Ukraine.

Speaking at a meeting of the Russian security council in Moscow, he says Donald Trump's proposals were discussed at the two presidents' summit in Alaska in August.

Putin described the recently unveiled 28-point plan as a "modernised" version of them.

As we've been reporting, Russia says it has yet to receive anything official from the US about its proposed peace plan while Zelensky has confirmed he's working with Washington to draft an agreement that is "truly effective" to securing lasting peace.

But while talks continue, so does the war. We can now bring you fresh images from Ukraine following the latest round of Russian attacks:

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, EPA

Image source, Getty Images

Zelensky says he has spoken to US Vice President JD Vance for over an hour to discuss "a lot of details of the American side’s proposals for ending the war".

He says they are "working to make the path forward dignified and truly effective for achieving a lasting peace".

"Ukraine has always respected and continues to respect US President Donald Trump’s desire to put an end to the bloodshed, and we view every realistic proposal positively," the Ukrainian leader writes on X.

Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll, who met Zelensky in Ukraine earlier in the week, was also present at the meeting.

Tom Bateman
US State Department correspondent

Not long ago, while appearing on Fox Radio, US President Trump was speaking about the deadline that his administration has reportedly given Ukraine to respond to their peace plan.

During that interview, he said that deadlines can be extended if things are "going well", but the White House believes that Thursday 27 November - Thanksgiving in the US - is "an appropriate time".

A US official that I've asked about the same reports - that the US has threatened to cut intelligence weapons support for Ukraine as part of pressure to come to an agreement - has said this:

“We will not comment on sensitive peace discussions that may or may not have happened to the press. President Trump is working with both sides to end the war as quickly as possible, which has gone on for far too long, with too many senseless deaths. This would have never happened if he was president.”

Steve Rosenberg
Russia editor

Image source, EPA

It was quite a contrast.

On Thursday, a US Pentagon delegation was in Kyiv. They were talking to President Zelensky about a draft plan to end the war in Ukraine.

The same day, on Russian state TV, President Putin was in military fatigues. He was talking to his army chiefs about fighting on.

"We have our tasks, our goals," the Kremlin leader declared. "The chief one is the unconditional achievement of the aims of the special military operation."

The Izvestia newspaper called President Putin's visit to a command post "a signal to America that he's prepared to negotiate on Ukraine, on Russia's terms."

Which brings us back to the peace plan.

The Kremlin claims it "hasn't received anything official" from Washington. But a 28-point proposal has been widely leaked and reported on - and widely interpreted as favouring Russia's peace terms.

What's more, the reported plan appeared after a visit to America by President Putin's envoy Kirill Dmitriev. He took part in three days of discussions in Miami with President Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff.

• Read more on this story here

Zelensky attempts to strike a delicate balancepublished at 16:24 GMT 21 November 2025

16:24 GMT 21 November 2025

Vitaliy Shevchenko
Russia editor, BBC Monitoring

Image source, Getty Images

Volodymyr Zelensky's emergency address to the nation earlier today - unusually, made during daytime - reflects the impossible situation he finds himself in.

On the one hand, he complained of enormous pressure and suggested that accepting the US "peace plan" would amount to Ukraine losing its dignity.

While, on the other hand, Zelensky said the alternatives were no less unappealing: losing the US as a key partner and facing Russia's continued onslaught during the hardest winter so far.

The Ukrainian president stopped short of rejecting the Trump administration's plan and vowed to work round the clock to make sure that any peace plan takes into account Ukraine's interests, dignity and freedom.