US senators have accused Donald Trump of advancing a Ukraine peace proposal that reflects Russian priorities, a claim rejected by US secretary of state Marco Rubio and the State Department.
Senators Angus King, Jeanne Shaheen and Mike Rounds told reporters at a security forum in Canada that Rubio privately described the 28-point document as a Russian “wish list” and “not the administration’s plan” during calls he made while travelling to Geneva for talks.
Senator Rounds said the text “looked more like it was written in Russian to begin with”, insisting: “This administration was not responsible for this release in its current form. They want to utilise it as a starting point.”
A State Department spokesperson called the senators’ account “blatantly false”.
Rubio later wrote on X that Washington had authored the proposal, saying it served as “a strong framework for ongoing negotiations”, drawing on input from both Moscow and Kyiv.
The dispute comes as Sir Keir Starmer and Trump agreed during a call that their teams would coordinate ahead of talks in Geneva.
The prime minister earlier assured president Volodymyr Zelensky of Britain’s “steadfast support for Ukraine”. Trump maintains the plan is not final but wants Kyiv to respond next week. Zelensky has pledged not to “betray his country” while offering alternatives to the Kremlin-backed terms.
Key Points
- Western leaders say Ukraine plan needs work, Trump signals scope for changes
- Trump gives Ukraine a tight deadline
- Ukraine’s allies rally around Zelensky ahead of crunch talks as Trump offers lifeline to Kyiv
- US senators say Rubio told them Trump's Ukraine peace plan is Russia's 'wish list'
- What happens next?
Ukraine strikes Russian power and heat station in Moscow region, Russian official says
08:15 , Bryony GoochUkraine struck a major heat and power station in the Moscow region on Sunday with drones, triggering a fire and forcing backup power and heat to be switched on, the governor of the Moscow region said.
Ukrainian drones struck the Shatura Power Station, about 120 km (75 miles) east of the Kremlin, on Sunday, Moscow region governor, Andrei Vorobyov, said.
"Some of the drones were destroyed by air defense forces. Several fell on the territory of the station. A fire broke out at the facility. Now it is localised," Vorobyov said.
The Kremlin says the internet is turned off to stop drone attacks. Russians are fed up
08:00 , Namita SinghRussia's government is tightening its internet control, with widespread outages and restrictions already defining 2025 for its citizens. These pervasive measures are impacting daily life, from public transport to critical health monitoring.
The impact is profound: credit cards fail for public transport, ATMs disconnect, and messaging apps are down.
Mobile phones often lose texts and data after international travel, and mothers of diabetic children report being unable to monitor blood glucose levels during outages.
For months, mobile phone internet shutdowns have affected dozens of Russian regions, ostensibly thwarting Ukrainian drone attacks. Popular messaging apps are also restricted, with the government promoting a state-controlled alternative critics fear is a surveillance tool.
Report:
The Kremlin says coverage is turned off to stop drone attacks. Russians are fed up
Canada's PM Carney says he will speak to Ukraine's Zelenskiy today about peace plan
07:40 , Bryony GoochCanadian prime minister Mark Carney said he will speak with Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky later on Sunday, as European and other Western security advisers meet in Geneva to discuss a peace plan put forward by the US.
"The follow-up is being done by our national security advisors. I will be speaking with President Zelenskiy later today, just to close the loop on some aspects," he said on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in Johannesburg.
Comment: There is only one thing Europe and Ukraine can do with Trump’s ‘peace’ ultimatum
07:20 , Namita SinghTrump’s America is falling into autocracy and advocates for Russian victory in Ukraine - it’s time the West saw this and dealt with it, Sam Kiley, The Independent's world affairs editor explains how
Trump’s ‘peace’ ultimatum leaves Europe and Ukraine with just one choice
Ukraine’s allies rally around Zelensky ahead of crunch talks as Trump offers lifeline to Kyiv
07:00 , Namita SinghAllies of Ukraine rallied around its defiant wartime leader on Saturday as they pushed to revise a suspect peace proposal touted by the United States.
European leaders met in South Africa to review their options after US president Donald Trump set Kyiv a deadline of next Thursday to agree to terms seen as appeasing some of Russia’s most hardline demands.
Sir Keir Starmer spoke with Trump late on Saturday after expressing how leaders were concerned that the current deal would not give Ukraine the means to defend itself, requiring a cap on the military and no Nato membership or peacekeepers.
Read more in this report:
Ukraine’s allies rally around Zelensky ahead of crunch talks in Geneva
Republican lawmaker slams Trump over Ukraine and warns of damaged ‘legacy’: ‘First to surrender’
06:30 , Namita SinghNebraska Republican representative Don Bacon lambasted Donald Trump over his proposal to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, warning it could be the president’s “legacy”.
The president’s 28-point peace plan has been criticised as being favourable to Moscow, demanding Kyiv cede additional territory, limit the size of its military, and agree to never join Nato.
Trump has asked Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky to accept the proposal by Thanksgiving.
Bacon was one of several GOP lawmakers to criticise the peace plan.
“They’re pushing a surrender plan on Ukraine and one that will keep Ukraine vulnerable to Russian attacks in the decades to come. It looks like Russia wrote it,” he wrote in a social media post on Saturday.
Report:
Republican lawmaker slams Trump over Ukraine and warns of damaged ‘legacy’
Who is Kirill Dmitriev? The blacklisted Kremlin official behind Trump’s Ukraine peace plan
06:00 , Namita SinghPresidentDonald Trump’s 28-point peace proposal for Ukraine is facing criticism amid claims it skews heavily in Vladimir Putin’s favour.
Trump has given Ukraine’s leader Volodymyr Zelensky until Thursday to accept the deal, which would cede territory to Moscow, take Nato off the table for Ukraine and allow Russia back into the G8.
As Zelensky faces a difficult choice, US officials and lawmakers have expressed their concern about Russian involvement in the plan after it was revealed the administration had held meetings with a blacklisted Kremlin official beforehand.
Kirill Dmitriev, a close ally of Putin, is the CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and assumed the office of the special presidential envoy on Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation on 23 February this year despite little diplomatic experience, writes Bryony Gooch.
The blacklisted Kremlin official behind Trump’s ‘pro-Russia’ peace plan for Ukraine
Trump gives Ukraine a tight deadline
05:30 , Namita SinghOn Friday, Donald Trump threw down the gauntlet to Ukraine, saying Volodymyr Zelensky had until Thursday to approve his 28-point plan, which calls on Ukraine to cede territory, accept limits on its military and renounce ambitions to join Nato.
"He'll have to like it, and if he doesn't like it, then you know, they should just keep fighting, I guess," he said.
"At some point he's going to have to accept something he hasn't accepted."
Recalling their fractious February meeting with Zelensky, Trump added: "You remember right in the Oval Office, not so long ago, I said, 'You don't have the cards'."
In their statement, Western leaders said they were "concerned by the proposed limitations on Ukraine's armed forces, which would leave Ukraine vulnerable to future attack".
"We reiterate that the implementation of elements relating to the European Union and relating to Nato would need the consent of EU and Nato members respectively."
At Sunday's meeting in Geneva, European nations are keen to suggest changes to Trump's plan, which Russian president Vladimir Putin described as the basis of a resolution to the conflict.
Leaders adopt ‘lion-like spirit’ in talks about peace plan
05:10 , Namita Singh"There are many things that cannot simply be an American proposal, which requires broader consultation," said French president Emmanuel Macron, adding that an agreement had to allow for peace for Ukrainians and "security for all Europeans".
On Friday Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv faced a choice of either losing its dignity and freedom or Washington's backing. He appealed to Ukrainians for unity.
That signal prompted European leaders to rally.
A German government source said they had met in a room in Johannesburg called "lion" and that the leaders had adopted the animal's "spirit" in talks to seek a better deal for Ukraine.
German chancellor Friedrich Merz underlined the importance to Europe of supporting Ukraine.
"If Ukraine loses this war and possibly collapses, it will have an impact on European politics as a whole, on the entire European continent. And that is why we are so committed to this issue," Merz said on the sidelines of the G20 summit.
"There is currently an opportunity to end this war, but we are still quite a long way from a good outcome for everyone."
On Saturday, leaders of eight Nordic and Baltic nations said they had spoken with Zelensky and pledged to keep supplying arms.
In a joint statement, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden said: "Solutions that respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and that will bring Ukraine and Europe greater security and stability have our full support."
Zelensky appealed to his country for unity.
Draft meets measured criticism
04:50 , Namita SinghThe European and other Western leaders agreed that national security advisers from the E3 - France, Britain and Germany - would meet European Union, US and Ukrainian officials in Geneva on Sunday for further discussions.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was en route to Geneva late on Saturday for the talks, a State Department official said.
Italy would also send an official, diplomatic sources said.
Washington's plan, which endorses key Russian demands, was met with measured criticism from many US allies. Leaders sought to balance praise for Trump's attempt to end the fighting with recognition that some terms in his proposal are unpalatable for Kyiv.
"The initial draft of the 28-point plan includes important elements that will be essential for a just and lasting peace," said the leaders of the EU, Germany, France, Britain, Canada, the Netherlands, Spain, Finland, Italy, Japan and Norway.
"We believe therefore that the draft is a basis which will require additional work," they said in a statement.
Western leaders say Ukraine plan needs work, Trump signals scope for changes
04:33 , Namita SinghWestern leaders said on Saturday that a peace plan proposed by the United States can be a basis for talks to end Russia's war in Ukraine but needs "additional work", part of Western efforts to eke out a better deal for Kyiv before a Thursday deadline.
Meeting on the sidelines of a Group of 20 summit in South Africa, European and other Western leaders scrambled to come up with a coordinated response to US president Donald Trump's demand for Ukraine to accept his 28-point plan by Thursday.
Trump said in brief remarks on Saturday that his proposal was not his final offer, signalling potential room for adjustments as Ukraine and its European allies stressed that the plan could serve as a foundation for negotiations but required changes.
Trump officials’ meeting with Russian officials in Miami spurs questions about Ukraine proposal
04:07 , Namita SinghUS officials and lawmakers are increasingly concerned about a meeting last month in which representatives of the Trump administration met with Kirill Dmitriev, a Russian envoy who is under US sanctions, to draft a plan to end the war in Ukraine, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
The meeting took place in Miami at the end of October and included special envoy Steve Witkoff, president Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and Dmitriev, who leads the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), one of Russia's largest sovereign wealth funds.
A close ally of Russian president Vladimir Putin, Dmitriev has taken a leading role in talks with the US about the war and has met with Witkoff several times this year.
The Trump administration has issued a special waiver to allow his entry, one senior US official told Reuters.
Dmitriev and RDIF were blacklisted by the US government in 2022 following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The sanctions effectively bar American citizens and companies from dealing with them.
The meeting resulted in a 28-point plan for ending the war, two people familiar with the situation said. The plan, which was made public earlier this week by Axios, came as a surprise to US officials in various corners of the administration and has stirred confusion at embassies throughout Washington and in European capitals.
It has also prompted criticism from the Ukrainians and their allies for appearing heavily tilted toward Russian interests, with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky vowing on Friday that he would not betray Ukraine's interests.
The document, which calls for major concessions from Ukraine, appears to run counter to the tougher stance the Trump administration has lately taken toward Moscow, including sanctions on its energy sector.
It is unclear whether Dmitriev came to the meeting in Miami with certain Russian demands and whether those were incorporated into the peace plan.
The US peace deal for Ukraine is just setting the scene for Putin’s next war
03:10 , James ReynoldsUkraine is being asked to give up land and forget the appalling violence that it has suffered, writes Bob Seely.
But peace is the last thing on Putin’s mind – winning in Ukraine and then humiliating the West remain his goals:
The US peace deal for Ukraine is just setting the scene for Putin’s next war
US senators say Rubio told them Trump's Ukraine peace plan is Russia's 'wish list'
03:07 , Namita SinghUS senators critical of president Donald Trump's approach to ending the Russia-Ukraine war said Saturday they spoke with US secretary of state Marco Rubio who told them that the peace plan Trump is pushing Kyiv to accept is a "wish list" of the Russians and not the actual US plan.
A State Department spokesperson denied their account, calling it "blatantly false”.
The 28-point peace plan was crafted by the Trump administration and the Kremlin without Ukraine's involvement.
It acquiesces to many Russian demands that Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has categorically rejected on dozens of occasions, including giving up large pieces of territory. Trump says he wants Ukraine to accept the plan by late next week.
At a security conference in Canada, Independent Maine Senator Angus King, Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Republican Mike Rounds from South Dakota said they spoke to Rubio after he reached out to some of them while on his way to Geneva for talks on the plan.
King said Rubio told them the plan "was not the administration's plan" but a "wish list of the Russians”.
"This administration was not responsible for this release in its current form," Rounds said.
"They want to utilise it as a starting point."Rounds said "it looked more like it was written in Russian to begin with”.
Rubio confirms Ukraine peace proposal was authored by US
02:50 , Namita SinghUS Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Saturday that the 28-point proposal for peace in Ukraine that emerged this week was authored by Washington, despite what a handful of senators said.
"It is offered as a strong framework for ongoing negotiations," Rubio posted on X.
"It is based on input from the Russian side. But it is also based on previous and ongoing input from Ukraine.
The peace proposal was authored by the U.S.
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) November 23, 2025
It is offered as a strong framework for ongoing negotiations
It is based on input from the Russian side. But it is also based on previous and ongoing input from Ukraine. https://t.co/JWbAQ04kcw
"Senator Mike Rounds, a Republican, told reporters at a conference in Halifax earlier on Saturday that Rubio had called him and other senators and said it was a proposal that the US had received and passed on to Ukraine.
"He made it very clear to us that we are the recipients of a proposal that was delivered to one of our representatives," Rounds said.
"It is not our recommendation, it is not our plan."
Defenceless Britain is a sitting duck – when Ukraine falls, we’re next
02:30 , James ReynoldsThe government is doing the British public no favours by not facing up to the Russian threat, writes Robert Fox – not least when military leaders are lining up to point out how unprepared we are for future conflict
Defenceless Britain is a sitting duck – when Ukraine falls, we’re next
What happens next?
02:00 , James ReynoldsNational security advisors from France, Britain and Germany are going to meet with EU, US and Ukrainian officials in Geneva tomorrow to discuss the plans.
Ukraine and its European allies have all expressed reservations about the plan as it stands. Trump indicated on Saturday that there was some room for movement.
The US president has sketched out a timeline of just under a week to get a deal agreed. He said he had given Ukraine until next Thursday, caveating that this could move if negotiations show signs of progress.
For its part, Russia supports Trump’s proposal.
Top level discussions with sanctioned Russian envoy 'spooks US officials'
01:00 , James ReynoldsUS officials and lawmakers are increasingly concerned about a meeting between Trump administration officials and Kirill Dmitriev, a Russian envoy under US sanctions, to draft a plan to end the war in Ukraine, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
The meeting took place in Miami at the end of October and included special envoy Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and Dmitriev, who leads one of Russia's largest sovereign wealth funds.
The plan that allegedly came from the meeting appears to run counter to the tougher stance the Trump administration has lately taken toward Moscow. The administration had appeared frustrated by Russia repeating its maximalist demands.
Many senior officials inside the State Department and on the National Security Council were not briefed on the plan, which seems to appease those demands, the two people familiar with the plan said.
The discussions with Dmitriev have also worried some inside the intelligence community, one US official familiar with the matter said.
Air traffic suspended at Dutch air traffic over drone sightings
Saturday 22 November 2025 23:57 , James ReynoldsAir traffic at another European airport has been suspended following a sighting of multiple drones.
"Counter-drone equipment is ready to act", Dutch defence minister Ruben Brekelmans said. "An investigation is ongoing."
Eindhoven serves both as a civilian and as a military airport. All types of air traffic were suspended, Brekelmans said.
The defence ministry did not comment on where the drones had come from.
Europe has accused Russia of orchestrating hybrid attacks on its territory in recent months. Moscow has routinely denied involvement.
How Trump’s peace plan for Ukraine has been entirely dictated by Putin
Saturday 22 November 2025 23:05 , James ReynoldsThe ‘deal’ being briefed out by Washington and Moscow is really just a blueprint for Russian conquest.
Sam Kiley explains why it doesn’t have to be that way:
How Trump’s peace plan for Ukraine has been entirely dictated by Putin
Northern Europe reaffirms support for Ukraine
Saturday 22 November 2025 22:03 , James ReynoldsLeaders of eight Nordic and Baltic nations said on Saturday they had spoken with Zelensky, reaffirming their support for Kyiv and pledging to keep supplying arms while strengthening Europe’s defences to deter further Russian aggression.
In a joint statement, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden said: "Russia has so far not committed to a ceasefire or any steps leading to peace."
"Solutions that respect Ukraine‘s sovereignty and that will bring Ukraine and Europe greater security and stability have our full support," the statement added.
The group also backed strengthening sanctions and wider economic measures against Moscow as long as the war continues.
Ukraine’s allies rally around Zelensky ahead of crunch talks as Trump offers lifeline to Kyiv
Saturday 22 November 2025 21:45 , James ReynoldsTrump offered allies some hope of salvaging a viable peace deal, telling reporters on Saturday that the widely criticised 28-point peace plan was not his final offer:
Ukraine’s allies rally around Zelensky ahead of crunch talks in Geneva
How Russia is adapting to drone warfare
Saturday 22 November 2025 21:05 , James ReynoldsRussia has bolstered its ailing front lines with a broad array of new kit over the last couple of years.
One such adaptation to the modern battlefield is Rubicon - innovative units that have transformed Russian drone use and the targeting of Ukrainian drone control centres this year.
While production has reportedly shot up, Russia has also invested in unmanned systems troops and supporting special forces.
Analysts say Russia now has a small advantage with frontline drone operations, despite Ukraine’s monumental transformation of drone warfare over the last three years.
There is only one thing Europe and Ukraine can do with Trump’s ‘peace’ ultimatum
Saturday 22 November 2025 20:00 , James ReynoldsTrump’s America is falling into autocracy and advocates for Russian victory in Ukraine – it’s time the West saw this and dealt with it.
Sam Kiley, world affairs editor, explains how:
Trump’s ‘peace’ ultimatum leaves Europe and Ukraine with just one choice
UK will work with US on Trump's peace proposal in Geneva, Starmer says
Saturday 22 November 2025 19:30 , James ReynoldsSir Keir Starmer has spoken to Donald Trump on the phone and agreed their teams will work together on the US president's peace proposal for Ukraine during talks in Geneva tomorrow, Downing Street has said.
The prime minister relayed to Mr Trump what he had discussed with members of the Coalition of the Willing on Ukraine at the G20 summit in South Africa today and agreed to talk to the US leader again tomorrow.
Sir Keir and other leaders have pushed back against the US-drafted plan for Ukraine, raising concerns about proposals to make Kyiv limit its armed forces and give up territory and its path to Nato membership.
The prime minister also spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and reiterated the UK's "steadfast support" for Kyiv.
What happens next?
Saturday 22 November 2025 18:45 , James ReynoldsNational security advisors from France, Britain and Germany are going to meet with EU, US and Ukrainian officials in Geneva tomorrow to discuss the plans.
Ukraine and its European allies have all expressed reservations about the plan as it stands. Trump indicated on Saturday that there was some room for movement.
The US president has sketched out a timeline of just under a week to get a deal agreed. He said he had given Ukraine until next Thursday, caveating that this could move if negotiations show signs of progress.
For its part, Russia supports the proposal.
Hope for Ukraine: Trump says disaster plan for peace is NOT his final offer
Saturday 22 November 2025 18:03 , James ReynoldsDonald Trump said his current proposal for peace in Ukraine to end Russia's war is not his final offer.
"The war needs to end one way or another," he told reporters on Saturday.
But he said "no" when asked if this was his final offer.
European and other Western leaders have scrambled to come up with a coordinated response to Trump's demand for Ukraine to accept his 28-point peace plan with Russia by Thursday.
Ukraine must be able to defend itself, says Starmer
Saturday 22 November 2025 17:15 , James ReynoldsSir Keir Starmer has said he will talk to Donald Trump about his peace plan which Ukraine's allies have said needs revision "in the coming days".
In a joint statement issued on Saturday, following their meeting at the Johannesburg G20 summit, the leaders called Washington's plan drawn up secretly with Moscow "a basis which will require additional work".
Sir Keir told reporters in Johannesburg: "We are concerned about (caps on military) because it's fundamental that Ukraine has to be able to defend itself if there's a ceasefire."
He said that the allies of Ukraine agreed 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."
Macron: Trump's peace plan needs work
Saturday 22 November 2025 16:53 , James ReynoldsFrench president Emmanuel Macron said on the sidelines of the G20 summit that while Trump’s peace plan for Ukraine is good - because it proposes peace - it remains a basis that still needs work.
Western leaders continue to urge vital amends to the proposals seen this week - after being left out of discussions with Washington.
Starmer: I expect to talk to Trump in the coming days
Saturday 22 November 2025 16:32 , James ReynoldsSir Keir Starmer said he expects to speak with Donald Trump in the coming days amid desperate efforts to bolster the president’s plan for peace.
The prime minister said the focus was now on tomorrow’s meeting in Geneva, where he expressed hope that there would be progress.
Starmer said he expects to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in “an hour or so”.
National security advisers from the E3 - France, Britain and Germany - are to meet European Union, U.S. and Ukrainian officials in Geneva on Sunday for further discussions. Italy would also send an official, diplomatic sources said.
Ukraine claims to hold firm around Pokrovsk
Saturday 22 November 2025 15:58 , James ReynoldsUkraine's General Staff said on Saturday that Russian forces had attempted without success to advance to the central part of Pokrovsk by taking advantage of fog.
"However, these actions were unsuccessful, and the enemy is being eliminated in the urban area," General Staff wrote on Telegram.
It said Ukrainian defensive lines in the north were holding firm despite Russian pressure.
In pictures: Relative of Ukrainian prisoners of war burn flares during a rally at Independence Square
Saturday 22 November 2025 15:30 , Bryony Gooch
Allies rally around Ukraine for sustainable peace
Saturday 22 November 2025 15:21 , James ReynoldsUkraine’s allies rallied around Kyiv on Saturday amid frantic discussions over Donald Trump’s damning peace proposal.
The leaders of France, Canada, Italy, Germany, the UK and the EU said in a joint statement that borders must not be changed by force.
They aired concerns and said that they would continue to coordinate with Ukraine and the US in the coming days.
They reiterated the need to ensure a sustainable peace.
Ukraine says it has received 31 civilians who had been held in Belarus
Saturday 22 November 2025 15:00 , Bryony GoochUkraine said it had received 31 civilians on Saturday who had been freed from jail in Belarus.
"Women and men detained in Belarus and sentenced to various terms of imprisonment ranging from two to 11 years are returning to Ukraine," Kyiv's prisoner exchange coordination committee said on the Telegram messaging app.
"We express our gratitude to the United States of America and President Donald Trump for their fruitful work in returning Ukrainian civilians and military personnel from Belarus and Russia," it added.
