Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll on Thursday that he is willing to cooperate with the Trump administration on its new peace plan for Ukraine , US and Ukrainian officials told Axios.
Why it matters: The plan demands that Ukraine make enormous concessions, including handing over territory to Russia that Ukraine currently controls. However, instead of rejecting it outright, Zelensky agreed to negotiate, and his office stated that he expects to discuss it with President Trump in the coming days.
Top news: Driscoll gave Zelensky a copy of the plan when they met in Kyiv on Thursday, according to a Ukrainian official.
Zelensky’s office said in a statement that the Ukrainian president “outlined the fundamental principles that matter to our people, and following today’s meeting, the parties agreed to work on the provisions of the plan in a way that leads to a just end to the war.”
A US official stated that Zelensky and Driscoll “agreed on an ambitious timetable for the signing.”
Driscoll’s delegation originally planned to travel to Ukraine to discuss military technology and strategy before the White House asked him to help ” get the negotiations started ” with Zelensky on behalf of U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a second U.S. official said.
Catching up quickly: The plan, drafted by Witkoff and other US officials in consultation with the Russians, caused a stir in Kyiv and European capitals when Axios revealed its existence this week.
A planned meeting between Zelensky and Witkoff was called off this week after the US side said Zelensky had not shown a willingness to take the plan seriously.
But the Ukrainian official told Axios that Zelensky was more conciliatory during his meeting with Driscoll. “The decision is to try to work on it together to make peace possible,” the official said.
The Trump administration worked Wednesday and Thursday to try to reassure Ukraine and its European allies that the plan is a ” living document ” and that their positions would be taken into account, a U.S. official said.
Behind the scenes: Witkoff assured German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul in a call Thursday morning that the new plan was “a framework of ideas ” that includes Ukrainian and Russian positions, a U.S. official said.
“Witkoff emphasized that the Trump administration is doing what is responsible and is looking for ways to end the conflict in Ukraine,” the US official said.
According to the official, Witkoff told Wadephul: “If people don’t like certain parts of the plan, they should let us know and we’ll try to find a compromise.”
Point of contention: The Europeans were not consulted during the initial drafting of the plan, and the Ukrainians were included only after extensive talks between the US and Russian envoys.
The plan includes elements that are considered very favorable to Moscow , such as limitations on the size and capabilities of the Ukrainian army after the war, according to a Ukrainian official.
Ukraine has repeatedly rejected such proposals in the past.
Between the lines: US pressure comes with Zelensky under more intense domestic political pressure than at any time since the full-scale invasion of Russia.
A growing corruption scandal has ensnared some of Zelensky’s close associates, and the opposition is calling on him to clean house or even form a new unity government.
Zelensky is expected to summon members of his party in parliament tonight, hours after meeting with Driscoll.
A U.S. official told Axios that domestic pressure could make Zelensky more willing to make difficult concessions for peace. Some analysts think the opposite: that the uncertainty surrounding his political future means he cannot afford to be seen as a sellout to Moscow.
The intrigue: Driscoll didn’t know until last week that he would be recruited for the role of peace envoy.
“As you can imagine, we erased the calendar and went into full planning and preparation mode,” said a U.S. official.
“He’s getting policy briefings. He’s getting background, war history, all kinds of stuff all weekend long, and then they’re out of here,” the official said.
Driscoll and the U.S. military leaders in his delegation will also meet with representatives from the defense industry and Ukrainian military leaders while in Kyiv.
