Steve Witkoff (r.) has always shown himself to be receptive to Russia’s wishes in his meetings with Vladimir Putin.Image: keystone
The American-Russian 28-point plan for Ukraine is being harshly criticized by a renowned think tank. In effect, he is demanding the total surrender of the attacked country.
November 20, 2025, 7:54 p.mNovember 20, 2025, 7:54 p.m
US President Donald Trump has so far made progress in his efforts to end the war in Ukraine. This is primarily due to Russian ruler Vladimir Putin, who doesn’t want to hear about an end to the war and has ripped off Trump several times. There is now a 28-point peace plan the website Axios first reported.
It was apparently drawn up by Trump’s negotiator Steve Witkoff and Putin’s special envoy Kirill Dmitriyev at a meeting in Miami at the end of October. Ukraine was identified as a directly affected country just as little included as the European allies. “We were not informed about it,” said German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Wednesday.
Volodymyr Zelenskyj visiting troops in the Donetsk region.Image: keystone
The so-called peace plan should now be available to the Ukrainians. This week a Pentagon delegation traveled to Kiev led by Dan Driscoll, the US Secretary of State for the Army. A meeting between Witkoff and President Volodymyr Zelensky in Ankara on Wednesday was “postponed,” apparently at the request of the Ukrainians.
“Terrible” suggestion
Zelensky is in an awkward position, militarily and politically. The Russians are attacking his country with drones and missiles and advance on the ground. And the exposed corruption scandal is putting a strain on his image the relationship with Western supporters. But he apparently doesn’t think much of the so-called peace plan.
He has every reason to. The “Economist” describes it as a “terrible” suggestionwhich actually corresponds to a Russian wish list. The assessment of the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a renowned think tank in Washington, is just as harsh. His daily assessments are considered a reliable source of information on the course of the war.
Diffuse security guarantees
In the latest edition the American-Russian plan was literally torn apart. It amounts to “the complete surrender” of Ukraine and creates the conditions for further Russian aggression. The 28 points are not yet available in detail, but what is known so far actually largely corresponds to Moscow’s conditions.
The embattled city of Kramatorsk is part of the Ukrainian fortress belt.Image: keystone
Ukraine would have to completely evacuate the Donbass with the contested areas of Donetsk and Luhansk, halve the number of troops in its army and give up “important weapon categories”, such as long-range missiles. In return there are only vague US security guarantees. The stationing of foreign soldiers would be prohibited.
Fortress belt in Donetsk
In return, the Russians would “renounce” areas that would have to be negotiated. The parts of Donetsk and Luhansk vacated by Ukraine would become a “demilitarized” zone. What to make of such promises has been known since the fights against the so-called “separatists” after the annexation of Crimea in 2014.
For Ukraine, giving up Donetsk in particular would be an enormous risk. She still holds a part of this region, thanks to a “fortress belt” consisting of fortified cities, trenches and minefields. According to the ISW’s assessment, at the current rate of advance, Russia would need several years to take this fortress belt.
White House wants to go through with it
However, if the Ukrainians had to give it up, the path to the west and north would be open, for example towards Kharkiv, Dnipro or even Kiev. Advances on the cities of Kherson and Zaporizhia, two of the Kremlin’s declared war goals, would also be possible. A Russian victory on the battlefield is anything but inevitable for the ISW.
Although they would gain ground near Pokrovsk, the breakthroughs would be “out of all proportion to the losses suffered,” according to the think tank’s analysts. The White House has not yet commented on the so-called peace plan, but apparently it has do you want to go through with it?writes Politico, citing multiple sources.
Sanctions come into force
Reactions from Moscow are also cautious, but Vladimir Putin has good reasons to at least feign a willingness to make peace. The US sanctions against the Russian oil companies Lukoil and Rosneft are due to end on Friday officially come into force. If this happens, it would be a severe blow to the Russian war economy.
The “peace plan” could prevent this. With Steve Witkoff, the Russians have an interlocutor who has shown himself to be very receptive to their concerns in his meetings with Putin. “The Russians have clearly identified Witkoff as someone willing to represent their interests,” an EU official told Politico.
This also applies to the alleged peace plan, says the ISW in its analysis: “It deprives Ukraine of important defense lines and capabilities in order to be able to defend itself against future Russian attacks, and apparently in exchange for nothing.” Or to put it another way: Ultimately, Kyiv would have to submit to Moscow’s dictates.