Trump walks back Ukraine deadline, calls 28-point peace proposal ‘just a map’
U.S. President Donald Trump clarified on November 25 that Ukraine faces no set deadline to accept the previously drafted 28-point peace framework, retracting earlier remarks suggesting he wanted a deal by Thanksgiving.
"The deadline for me is when it’s over," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. He noted that U.S. negotiators were making progress with both Moscow and Kyiv, adding that Russia had agreed to "some concessions," though he provided no specifics, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
The U.S.-drafted plan, developed in secret by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in coordination with Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev, was initially reported as a 28-point framework for ending the war. Critics raised concerns that the proposal could pressure Ukraine into a deal favorable to Moscow.
Trump downplayed the 28-point figure, calling it "just a map". He said:
"That was not a plan. It was a concept. From there, they’re taking each of the 28 points and getting down to 22 points. A lot have been solved, and actually very favorably solved. So we’ll see what happens."
The Financial Times reported that the original 28 points were reduced to 19 during discussions among U.S., Ukrainian, and European officials in Geneva.
Trump confirmed that envoy Steve Witkoff would travel to Moscow next week to meet with President Vladimir Putin. Recent reports suggested that Witkoff had privately proposed ways to influence Ukraine to accept concessions, though Trump described this as "standard negotiation."
"You know, because he's got to sell this to Ukraine. He's got to sell Ukraine to Russia… that’s a very standard form of negotiation," Trump said.
Trump acknowledged that Russia currently holds the upper hand in the conflict and suggested it is in Ukraine’s interest to negotiate.
"Some Ukraine territory might be gotten by Russia anyway over the next couple of months," he said, adding that European partners are working on security guarantees for Ukraine.
Describing the talks, Trump explained:
"They’re talking about going land both ways and trying to clean up a border… it’s a complicated process. It doesn’t go that quickly."
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