SCOTT DETROW, HOST:
Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is suggesting that his country's relationship with its single most important ally - the United States - is at risk. This after the release of another Kremlin-friendly plan put forward by the Trump administration in an attempt to end Russia's war on Ukraine. Zelenskyy made the comments in a video address as he faces pressure from the Trump administration to sign onto the plan by Thanksgiving.
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PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY: (Speaking Ukrainian).
DETROW: Zelenskyy told Ukrainians that their country is under immense pressure and facing a very difficult choice - a loss of dignity or the risk of losing a key partner as it defends itself from Russia. Joining us now to discuss the latest developments in - is NPR's Ukraine correspondent Joanna Kakissis. Hey, Joanna.
JOANNA KAKISSIS, BYLINE: Hey, Scott.
DETROW: I mean, this sounds like quite the speech from Zelenskyy. What more can you tell us about it?
KAKISSIS: Well, Zelenskyy spoke today as part of Ukraine's Dignity and Freedom Day, which honors those who have died trying to preserve Ukraine's independence and sovereignty. This is a day that's hugely symbolic after nearly four years of Russia's full-scale war. Now, Zelenskyy seemed to sense the significance of this moment because his country is once again under pressure by the Trump administration.
Now, in this speech, Zelenskyy did not specifically name the U.S. as the key partner Ukraine was at risk of losing. However, he did meet this week with a military delegation from the U.S. in an effort to restart peace talks, and he was presented with this 28-point proposal to end the war - one drafted by Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Kremlin adviser Kirill Dmitriev. Instead of going through the proposal point by point, Zelenskyy talked about what his focus would be in the coming days.
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ZELENSKYY: (Speaking Ukrainian).
KAKISSIS: He's saying he will present arguments and offer alternatives but that he will not give the Kremlin reasons to say Ukraine does not want peace or is not ready for diplomacy.
DETROW: What exactly in this plan is so controversial?
KAKISSIS: So before I get into that, I should say a U.S. official told NPR's Tom Bowman that Army secretary Dan Driscoll insisted to European ambassadors that the document will change as part of the collaborative process. However, Ukraine sees the proposal in its current form as a recipe for Ukrainian capitulation because it offers Russia far more than was discussed in previous negotiations to end this war. Like, demands include Ukraine surrendering territory, cutting its military, giving up some long-range weapons and dropping its bid to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Now, the proposal does not appear - I'm sorry - the proposal does appear to give Ukraine security guarantees to protect itself from Russia. But Ukraine and its European allies say Russia does not stick to deals. Zelenskyy said in his speech that European leaders see Russia as a threat.
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ZELENSKYY: (Speaking Ukrainian).
KAKISSIS: He's saying that Ukrainians must do everything to ensure that when this war ends, Ukraine and Europe do not end with it.
DETROW: Now, Joanna, Zelenskyy has made similar warnings before. You have covered them. Does this one feel more urgent now?
KAKISSIS: Yes, and that's for a number of reasons. Zelenskyy is facing a huge political crisis at home, with this energy corruption scandal that has implicated his close associates. Ukrainians are facing blackouts as Russia repeatedly hits the country's energy grid, and Ukrainian forces are facing more pressure on the front line as Russian troops have infiltrated a key city in eastern Ukraine.
DETROW: What's the Kremlin saying about this?
KAKISSIS: Well, actually, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke about the proposal tonight, confirming that he'd seen it. He told a Russian Security Council meeting in Moscow that this proposal is a modernized version of a plan he discussed with Trump at a summit in Alaska this summer. Now, Putin says he believes this plan can be used as a basis for a final peaceful settlement, though he added that there has not been much discussion in Russia about this because, he said, the U.S. had yet to convince Ukraine to accept this deal.
DETROW: That's NPR Ukraine correspondent Joanna Kakissis. Thank you so much.
KAKISSIS: You're welcome. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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