Zelensky, Two Dead Ends
TEHRAN (Iran News) In November 2025, Donald Trump presented a 28-point proposal to end the war between Ukraine and Russia. He exerted significant pressure on Kyiv to accept the agreement by Thanksgiving.
In his televised speech on November 22, Zelensky announced that the plan amounted to “a loss of national dignity,” and he said he was not willing to trade his country’s independence for external pressure. Zelensky warned that rejecting the plan might jeopardize U.S. support, but he stressed that Ukraine must choose between “honor” and “a key partner.”
Reports indicate that Trump’s team had previously conveyed a draft of the plan to Zelensky via a phone call rather than during an official meeting in Kyiv; this led Zelensky to say that the pressure to sign it placed Ukraine in one of the toughest moments in its history.
Zelensky’s rejection of Trump’s plan demonstrates prioritizing independence and national identity over short-term political benefits. He did not want to accept an agreement that could be interpreted as legitimizing Russia’s occupation.
Trump, of course, sought to end the war quickly with an agreement and reduce economic and political pressure on the United States. But the short deadline and vague conditions of the plan made it unacceptable for Ukraine.
Zelensky’s rejection of Trump’s proposal may strain relations between Ukraine and the United States, but it simultaneously strengthens Zelensky’s position as a leader standing firm against external pressure.
It seems this episode was less a genuine peace plan and more a test of Ukraine’s political independence. By rejecting it, Zelensky sent a clear message that even in difficult circumstances, he is not willing to sacrifice national dignity.
Of course, it must be acknowledged that Ukraine is going through difficult days, and Russia has taken a humiliation that it will not easily let go.
- author : Hamid Reza Naghashian
- source : IRAN NEWS
