Zelenskyy Says Ukraine Faces ‘Impossible Choice’ as Trump Sets Deadline for Peace Deal

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that the nation is entering one of the most difficult periods in its modern history. The statement comes as Donald Trump pushes Kyiv to accept a US-backed peace plan that would force Ukraine to give up territory to Russia. The proposal has been described by Ukrainian and European officials as nothing short of capitulation.
Trump said that Thanksgiving next Thursday would be an “acceptable deadline” for Ukraine to sign the deal. His timeline has sparked deep concern across Europe, where leaders see the terms as dangerously one-sided. The proposed agreement includes major concessions that would dramatically weaken Ukraine’s defensive capabilities.
In a somber speech outside the presidential palace, Zelenskyy said Ukraine faces an impossible dilemma: preserve national dignity or risk losing support from a US administration pressuring Kyiv to accept Moscow’s terms. He said the country must choose between accepting the plan or enduring another extremely difficult winter.
Zelenskyy argued that the deal would strip Ukraine of freedom, dignity, and justice. He warned against trusting a country that had already attacked Ukraine twice. He vowed to defend the nation’s constitution and never betray its people, reminding citizens that Ukraine refused to surrender in 2022 and would do so again.
European leaders quickly rallied around Ukraine, rejecting Trump’s proposed map that would force Kyiv to abandon cities and shrink its military. They insisted that any lasting peace must respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and start from the existing line of contact, not from Moscow’s demands.