Europe resists US peace plan that would force Kyiv into concessions

Sources say Washington's plan would require Ukraine to give up more land, partially disarm

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European countries pushed back on Nov 20 against a US-backed peace plan for Ukraine that sources said would require Kyiv to give up more land and partially disarm, conditions long seen by Ukraine's allies as tantamount to capitulation.

Two people familiar with the matter told Reuters on Nov 19 that Washington had signalled to President Volodymyr Zelensky that Ukraine must accept a US-drafted framework to end the war, which includes territorial concessions and curbs on Ukraine's armed forces.

The sources spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

The acceleration in US diplomacy comes at an awkward juncture for Kyiv, with its troops on the back foot at the front and Mr Zelensky's government undermined by a corruption scandal. Ukraine's Parliament fired two Cabinet ministers on Nov 19 over the scandal.

Russia has been pounding Ukrainian cities and infrastructure with nightly bombardments, killing civilians and causing power cuts as winter sets in.

The authorities said 22 people were still missing and 26 were dead from air strikes that destroyed an apartment block early on Nov 19, one of the worst attacks in months.

The European Union foreign ministers meeting in Brussels were careful not to comment in too much detail about a US peace plan that has not fully been made public.