Zelenskyy says Ukraine facing 'one of the most difficult moments in our history' in wake of U.S. peace plan

chair Volodymyr Zelenskyy said fri that ukrayina has to face the possibleness of losing its dignity or risking the loss of a key partner as it figures out how to respond to a U.S. Peace proposal to end Russia's war with his country.

"This is one of the most difficult moments in our history," Zelenskyy said in a video address to the nation. "Currently, the pressure on Ukraine is one of the hardest. Ukraine may now face a very difficult choice, either losing its dignity or the risk of losing a key partner."

He said Ukraine would "work calmly with America and all partners" and vowed to work constructively.

Zelenskyy spoke earlier by phone with the leaders of Germany, France and the United Kingdom, who assured him of their continued support, as European officials scrambled to respond to U.S. Peace proposals that apparently caught them unawares.

The U.S. Plan contains many of Russian President Vladimir Putin's longstanding demands, including Ukrainian territorial concessions, while offering limited security guarantees to Ukraine.

Wary of antagonizing U.S. President Donald Trump, the European and Ukrainian responses were cautiously worded and pointedly commended American peace efforts.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer assured Zelenskyy of "their unchanged and full support on the way to a lasting and just peace" in Ukraine, Merz's office said.

Zelenskyy agrees to meet with Trump about U.S.-backed peace plan

The four leaders welcomed U.S. Efforts to end the war. "In particular, they welcomed the commitment to the sovereignty of Ukraine and the readiness to grant Ukraine solid security guarantees," the statement added.

"They agreed to continue pursuing the aim of protecting vital European and Ukrainian interests in the long term," the statement said. "That includes the line of contact being the point of departure for an agreement and that the Ukrainian armed forces must remain in a position to defend the sovereignty of Ukraine effectively."

Starmer said the right of Ukraine to "determine its future under its sovereignty is a fundamental principle."

European Council President Antonio Costa in Johannesburg, South Africa, at the G20 summit said of the U.S. Proposals, "The European Union has not been communicated any plans in [an] official manner."

European countries see their own futures at stake in Ukraine's fight against Russia's full-scale invasion and have insisted on being consulted in peace efforts.

"Russia's war against Ukraine is an existential threat to Europe. We all want this war to end. But how it ends matters," EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said in Brussels. "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."

The plan foresees Ukraine handing over territory to Russia, something Zelenskyy has repeatedly ruled out, reduces the size of its army and blocks its route to NATO membership.

Zelenskyy said the leaders discussed the plan and appreciated the efforts of Trump and his team, although he added that they are "working on the document."

"We are closely co-ordinating to ensure that the principled positions are taken into account," Zelenskyy said in a Telegram post.

The proposals come at a difficult time for Zelenskyy, who is grappling with a push on the battlefield by Russia's bigger army and a major domestic corruption scandal.

The Kremlin offered a reserved reaction, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov saying that Moscow has not officially received the U.S. Peace plan.

"No, we haven't received anything officially. We're seeing some innovations. But officially, we haven't received anything. And there hasn't been a substantive discussion of these points," Peskov told reporters without elaborating further.

He claimed U.S.-Russian diplomatic contacts are "ongoing," but "nothing substantive is currently being discussed."

Meanwhile, a Russian glide bomb slammed into a residential district in the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, killing five people, officials said Friday, as Moscow's forces continued to hammer civilian areas of Ukraine. The overnight attack also injured 10 people, including a teenage girl.

The powerful glide bomb damaged some highrise apartment blocks for the third time since the war began and also wrecked a local market, according to the head of the regional military administration, Ivan Fedorov.

A Russian drone assault on the southern city of Odesa also struck a residential area during the night, injuring five people, including a 16-year-old boy.

The attacks came two days after a Russian drone and missile barrage on Ukraine's western city of Ternopil killed 31 people, including six children, and injured 94 others, including 18 children.

Emergency services say 13 people are still unaccounted for after the attack crushed the top floors of apartment blocks and started fires.

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