Bloomberg: Europe is trying to buy more time for Ukraine

European leaders are trying to buy more time for Ukraine after the Donald Trump administration set a deadline - until next Thursday - for the adoption of a 28-point peace plan, which Kiev and Western partners say is a de facto concession to Russia, writes Bloomberg, quoted by BTA.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is holding talks with the leaders of France and Germany, trying to understand whether the deadline is a real ultimatum or just a means of pressure.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz spoke with Donald Trump and announced that consultations will continue at the level of national security advisers - in particular with Marco Rubio, who also holds the post of Secretary of State. Rubio has already said that the plan is not a “final document“, but an idea that aims to “generate new approaches“.

However, Trump himself made it clear on Friday night that he was ready to abandon US participation if Kiev did not agree:

At the same time, the US president hinted at the possibility of a postponement of the deadline, telling Fox News Radio that the deadline could “change if everything goes well“.

According to sources, the attention of the Europeans is now shifting to the backstage talks of the G-20 in Johannesburg, where they will try to agree on a common position and achieve a change in the plan.

Experts warn that the US proposal could dilute all the EU's efforts to develop a single line on Ukraine.

"This plan nullifies European efforts and takes everyone back to square one", commented Rachel Rizzo of the Atlantic Council's European Center.

A European official noted that despite the pressure, Ukraine continues to strike deep into Russia and maintain its defenses while new US sanctions are already taking effect.

Europe hopes that the situation will repeat previous rounds of pressure from Trump, when he backed down after resistance from Kiev and its allies.

Harvard University expert Megan O'Sullivan commented:

"It is unrealistic to expect that such a proposal can be agreed by Thursday".

On Friday, Zelensky said that he had spoken for almost an hour with US Vice President J.D. Vance and Dan Driscoll, who had arrived in Kiev.

Putin again accused Ukraine of not wanting peace and said that "the agreement was proposed by the United States, not Russia".

Several senior Republicans criticized Trump's proposal. Senator Roger Wicker said: "Ukraine cannot be forced to cede its land to one of the world's most evil war criminals".

Mitch McConnell added: "If the president's advisers are more concerned with making peace with Putin than with achieving real peace, Trump needs new advisers".