Ukraine Allies to Discuss US Peace Plan at G20 Summit Amid Tensions

Sat Nov 22 2025 10:35:42 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Leaders from Ukraine's allied nations will convene at the G20 summit in South Africa to evaluate a contentious US plan aimed at bringing an end to the ongoing conflict with Russia, as Ukraine's President warns of significant pressures to compromise.

At the G20 summit in South Africa, Ukraine's allies, including UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, will assess a US-proposed peace plan for the ongoing war with Russia. President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed concerns over pressuring Ukraine to accept terms he views as favorable to Moscow. The summit arrives amid tensions, with the plan containing elements that Ukraine had previously rejected, such as territory concessions. European leaders echo concerns about the plan's implications, calling for a just and lasting peace.

Ukraine's allies will seek to strengthen a US plan to end the war with Russia when they meet at the G20 summit in South Africa, UK PM Sir Keir Starmer has said.

The summit begins a day after President Volodymyr Zelensky warned Ukraine faced one of the most difficult moments in our history over pressure to accept the plan - leaked details of which have been seen as favourable to Moscow.

Zelensky held phone talks with Sir Keir and the leaders of France and Germany on Friday. Afterwards, the PM said Ukraine's friends and partners remained committed to securing a lasting peace once and for all.

Neither US President Donald Trump nor Russian President Vladimir Putin are attending the G20.

The widely leaked US peace plan includes proposals that Kyiv had previously ruled out, including ceding eastern areas it now controls.

Washington has been pressing Kyiv to accept, and sent senior Pentagon officials to Ukraine earlier this week to discuss the proposals.

But there is nervousness in Europe over what has been perceived as a set of terms heavily slanted in Moscow's favour. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called the prospect of it being adopted a very dangerous moment.

According to Reuters news agency, she told reporters: We all want this war to end, but how it ends matters. Russia has no legal right whatsoever to any concessions from the country it invaded, ultimately the terms of any agreement are for Ukraine to decide.

Ahead of the Ukraine talks at the G20, Sir Keir said gathered leaders would discuss the current proposal on the table, and in support of President Trump's push for peace, look at how we can strengthen this plan for the next phase of negotiations.

He continued: Not a day has passed in this war where Ukraine hasn't called for Russia to end its illegal invasion, roll back its tanks and lay down its guns.

Ukraine has been ready to negotiate for months, while Russia has stalled and continued its murderous rampage.

That is why we must all work together, with both the US and Ukraine, to secure a just and lasting peace once and for all.

As part of the White House's plan, Ukraine would be obliged to cut the size of its army and pledge not to join the NATO military alliance, a long-held Kremlin demand.

Speaking on Friday, Trump warned that Ukraine would lose more territory to Russia in a short amount of time and that Zelensky is going to have to approve the plan.

Trump said he had given Ukraine until Thursday to agree to the plan, which he described as an appropriate deadline.

Ukraine relies on deliveries of US-manufactured advanced weaponry to arm its forces, including air defence systems.

Kyiv has also been dependent on intelligence provided by Washington since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The leaked draft proposes Ukrainian troops' withdrawal from part of the eastern Donetsk region and de facto Russian control of Donetsk, as well as the neighbouring Luhansk region and Crimea.

Russia currently controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory and its troops have made slow advances along the front line, despite reported heavy losses.

Kyiv would receive reliable security guarantees, though specifics are lacking. The document suggests that Russia will not invade its neighbours and NATO will not expand further.

Additionally, the draft indicates Russia's potential reintegration into the global economy through lifted sanctions and rejoining the G7, making it the G8 again.