Ukraine's Zelenskyy ready to send revised peace plan to US

We've moved to a new blog on the latest developments regarding the peace proposal to end the war in Ukraine here.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has reaffirmed his refusal to cede territory to Russia as he rallies European support in the face of pressure from the United States.

"Undoubtedly, Russia insists for us to give up territories. We clearly don't want to give up anything. That's what we are fighting for," Zelenskyy told reporters.

"Do we consider ceding any territories? According to the law we don't have such [a] right," he continued. "According to Ukraine's law, our constitution, international law, and to be frank, we don't have a moral right either."

Zelenskyy's reiteration of Ukraine's stance came after three straight days of talks late last week between Ukrainian and US negotiators on the Trump administration's peace proposals, in particular the suggestion that Kyiv agree to cede the entire eastern Donbas region, including parts that Russian forces do not occupy.

On Monday, Trump claimed that other Ukrainian officials who he described only as Zelenskyy's "lieutenants, his top people" agreed with his proposals – but it was unclear who exactly he was referring to.

Interceptor drones have proved to be a game changer in Ukraine's defense against Russian attacks. These low-cost drones have destroyed over 1,000 Russian Shahed and other drones in just four months.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is hoping to send an updated peace proposal to the US on Wednesday.

"We are working today (Tuesday) and will continue tomorrow (Wednesday). I think we will hand it over tomorrow," Zelenskyy answered a journalist's question on whether Ukraine had already sent the plan to the US. 

Zelenskyy is understood to be coordinating with the US and Europe on three major documents:

• A 20-point peace plan
• Security guarantees for Ukraine
• Recovery roadmap to rebuild Ukraine

DW's US correspondent Misha Komadovsky reported that "a new, updated 20-point peace plan will be presented to Washington tomorrow. Zelensky says his team is still refining it at the advisers' level."

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he was ready for elections and said he would ask parliament to prepare legislation to enable a vote during martial law.

"I am ready for the elections," Zelenskyy told journalists, adding that he would ask deputies to prepare "proposals regarding the possibility of amending the legislative foundations and the law on elections during martial law."

His comments come after US President Donald Trump asked whether Ukraine was democratic, saying that the country hadn't had an election due to the war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with key allies in London and Brussels on Monday in a bid to coordinate a joint European strategy during peace talks with Russia. Pressure mounts as the US pushes for the deal to be signed.

A member of the United Kingdom's armed forces has died after being injured while observing Ukrainian forces conducting defensive tests.

The UK Ministry of Defence said that the service member had initially been injured and then later died in the incident that was not near the front lines of fighting.

"It is with deep regret that we must announce that a member of the UK Armed Forces died in Ukraine this morning, Tuesday 9 December," the MOD said in a statement on X.

"He was injured in a tragic accident whilst observing Ukrainian forces test a new defensive capability, away from the front lines," the MOD said.

The UK is among the countries supporting Ukraine following Russia's invasion nearly four years ago.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said "refined" documents would be heading to the US soon.

"In the near future, we will be ready to send the refined documents to the United States," he said in a post on X.

On Monday, Zelenskyy had said the proposals could be sent to Washington on Tuesday.

"We are working very actively on all components of potential steps toward ending the war. The Ukrainian and European components are now more developed, and we are ready to present them to our partners in the U.S. Together with the American side, we expect to swiftly make the potential steps as doable as possible," Zelenskyy said in the same statement on X. 

US President Donald Trump has accused Zelenskyy of not reading the latest US proposals and in an interview with Politico, published Tuesday, said Russia had the "upper hand" in the conflict.

US proposals involved Ukraine ceding land that Russia has not captured in return for security promises that fall short of Kyiv's aspirations to join NATO.

Zelenskyy has said that Ukraine has no legal or moral right to cede territory to Russia.

US President Donald Trump has said Ukraine should hold elections and questioned whether the country is truly democratic.

"I think it's an important time to hold an election. They're using war not to hold an election, but I would think the Ukrainian people would... should have that choice," Trump told Politico in an interview published Tuesday. "You know, they talk about a democracy, but it gets to a point where it's not a democracy anymore."

Trump's position on Ukraine's failure to hold an election echoes frequent similar statements on the issue by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has also called for Ukrainian elections to replace Zelenskyy.

Martial law in Ukraine does not allow for holding elections. Zelenskyy was elected in 2019 and his five-year term was extended because of the war. 

Trump also said he believed Moscow has the "upper hand" in the war as it is "much bigger." His comments came as Zelenskyy maintains Ukraine has "no right" to cede the territories claimed by Moscow to Russia.

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and has illegally occupied Ukraine's Crimean peninsula since 2014. 

According to Trump, "part of the problem" behind the continued fighting is that Zelenskyy and Putin "really hate each other" and that it is therefore "it's very hard for them to try and make a deal."

European leaders have continued to emphasize their support for Zelenskyy and expressed skepticism of the original 28-point US plan for peace in Ukraine.  

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country is committed to "a real peace" and that "everything depends on whether Russia is ready to take effective steps to stop the bloodshed."

In a post on X, he added that work continued "very actively on all components of potential steps toward ending the war."

"The Ukrainian and European components are now more developed, and we are ready to present them to our partners in the US," Zelenskyy said, adding that "refined documents" would be sent to the US in the near future.

A Russian military transport aircraft has crashed in the northern region of Ivanovo during a test flight after repairs, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.

The seven crew members on board the plane died in the crash, according to the state-owned RIA news agency.

The Ivanovo region is located around 200 kilometers (125 miles) east of Moscow.

There was no mention on Russian state media whether the incident was connected to the war in Ukraine or if Kyiv was involved.

The Antonov An-22 was developed during the Soviet era in the 1960s and is used to transport air freight and for paratrooper operations.

According to media reports, this was the last aircraft of this type to be operated by the Russian military.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the "stakes remain high," and that the UK is continuing to work with "all its partners" to secure peace in Ukraine.

The British leader hosted crisis talks with European allies over Ukraine's future shortly before US President Donald Trump criticized Europeans as "weak" leaders of "decaying" nations failing to "produce" anything as "the war just keeps going on and on."

The prime minister's office rejected Trump's criticism.

"You've seen the number of countries involved in the coalition of the willing discussions, you've also seen the work the UK has done in terms of leading the response on sanctions, including against the shadow fleet, but we strongly support the US peace process," a spokesperson for Starmer said.

The official also said: "We welcome significant US efforts to bring peace to Ukraine. Nobody wants [that] more than President Zelenskyy."

Ukraine and its European allies are likely to insist that any ceasefire comes with security guarantees from both the US and the coalition of the willing convened by the UK and  France, while also resisting the transfer of territory to Russia. 

The Ukrainian leader, who continued his European diplomatic tour on Tuesday in Italy, is soon expected to send a revised plan to the White House.

A trial in Frankfurt began for  three men accused of espionage on behalf of a foreign intelligence agency.

The accused have been charged with spying on a wounded former Ukrainian officer in Germany.

Prosecutors said the intelligence-gathering operation was carried out as preparation for the man's murder.

An Armenian national was allegedly assigned the operation in May 2024 and recruited two accomplices, a Ukrainian and a Russian.

The target is said to have been lured to a meeting in a Frankfurt cafe in June 2024. The officer, however, contacted the German police, and meeting did not take place. The three defendants were arrested in Frankfurt in June 2024 and have been in custody ever since. 

They are accused of working for a foreign intelligence service in a particularly serious case. The Federal Public Prosecutor's Office brought charges in May 2025.

The Armenian's defense lawyers rejected the allegations in court. After the charges were read, they stated that the prosecution's evidence was incomplete and that possible alternative scenarios had not been investigated.

President Zelenskyy said he "deeply appreciates" the support shown to his country during a meeting with Pope Leo. He also invited him to visit Ukraine.

This comes following a meeting between the two at the papal residence of Castel Gandolfo.

In a post on his X account, Zelenskyy said he has spoken to the pontiff about the negotiations to end the war in the country.

"We discussed further actions and the Vatican's mediation aimed at returning our children abducted by Russia."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with Pope Leo XIV at Castel Gandolfo, located outside Rome.

According to a Vatican statement, the Pope reiterated the need for the continuation of dialogue and "expressed his urgent desire that the current diplomatic initiatives bring about a just and lasting peace."

This comes as Zelenskyy continues his tour through Europe to secure support for his country while standing firm in the face of pressure to give away territory to Russia.

"We clearly don't want to give up anything," he said in a WhatsApp chat with reporters, while also adding that the US is "looking for a compromise today."

Zelenskyy admitted Russia insists on Ukraine giving away territory, while Kyiv is not able to do such a thing due to the country's constitution and international law.

"To be frank, we don't have a moral right either," he said.

Zelenskyy is also set to meet with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.