On November 21, President Volodymyr Zelensky warned Ukraine of the risk of losing its dignity and freedom - or Washington's support - because the US peace plan supports Russia's key demands. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said Kiev should accept the proposal within a week.
Mr Trump told reporters that there is not much time left as winter is approaching and the blood flow needs to stop, and Mr Zelensky will have to accept the peace plan.
Recalling the previous tense meeting with Mr. Zelensky, Mr. Trump added: "Remember, right in the Oval Office, not long ago, I said: You don't have the right to choose."
Washington's 28-point plan calls for Ukraine to cede territory, accept military limits and abandon ambitions to join NATO. According to a draft collected by the press, the plan also contains some proposals that Moscow could object to and require Russian forces to withdraw from some areas under their control.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has refused to give up key demands for Russia's territory and security, said the US plan could be the basis for a final solution to the nearly four-year conflict. He said Kiev opposed the plan, but both Kiev and its European allies did not fully understand the reality of Russia's advances in Ukraine.
Sources said the US had threatened to cut off intelligence sharing and provide weapons to Ukraine if it did not accept the deal. However, a senior US official later said it was inaccurate to say that the US had threatened to keep intelligence. Mr Zelensky said publicly that he appreciated the efforts of the US, Mr Trump and his group to end the conflict.
According to Mr. Putin, Moscow has carried out trade unions at Washington's request. If Kiev refuses to discuss Mr Trump's proposal, "the incidents that have occurred in Kupiansk will inevitably be repeated in other key areas of the front," he said.
Mr. Rustem Umerov, Secretary of the National Defense and Security Council of Ukraine, a close ally of Mr. Zelensky, denied agreeing to any provisions of the plan and said he only played a technical role in organizing the negotiations.
The plan is expected to require Ukraine to withdraw from the territory of the eastern provinces that Russia has acclaimed of being an all-inclaimed state. Ukraine will be permanently banned from joining the NATO military alliance, and its armed forces will be limited to 600,000 troops. Sanctions against Russia will be gradually lifted, Moscow will be invited back to the G8, and frozen Russian assets will be grouped into an investment fund.
