CaliToday (24/11/2025): A massive international political controversy has erupted following the leak of a 28-point peace proposal aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stepped forward to staunchly defend the document, dismissing accusations that it is a thinly veiled "Russian wish list" and insisting the framework was "drafted by the United States." He claims the plan, developed through parallel discussions with both Moscow and Kyiv, constitutes a "robust negotiating framework" for the upcoming Geneva process led by President Trump.
Conflicting Narratives and the Source Mystery
Despite the Secretary of State’s firm denial, skepticism surrounding the document’s origin has only intensified.
Linguistic Suspicions: When the text was leaked last week, several expert analysts noted peculiar syntax and phrasing, strongly suggesting the document was originally written in Russian and then translated into English—fueling intense debate over the true authorship of the draft.
The Halifax Confrontation: Doubts reached a fever pitch following a tense encounter between Rubio and a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators at the Halifax International Security Forum. Senator Mike Rounds publicly stated that Rubio had privately informed them the plan was "not a U.S. recommendation" but rather a "Russian wish list." Senator Angus King confirmed Rubio's description, corroborating the conflicting narrative. Congressman Don Bacon went further, labeling the confusion "outright idiocy" and demanding the firing of the officials responsible for the internal communications breakdown.
The State Department officially dismissed all speculation regarding Russian origins as "categorically false" but offered no explanation for the glaring contradiction between Secretary Rubio’s public stance and his private statements to members of Congress.
Shocking Concessions and the Aid Threat
The contents of the 28-point plan are highly alarming to both Ukraine and its European allies, featuring major concessions that overwhelmingly favor Moscow:
Territorial Surrender: Ukraine would be required to recognize Russia's claim over the entire Donbas region.
Military Reduction: Kyiv must agree to drastically cut its standing army from 900,000 to just 600,000 troops, critically weakening its long-term defense posture.
NATO Pledge: Ukraine must commit to a permanent non-NATO membership status.
Amnesty for War Crimes: The plan mandates full amnesty for all parties involved in the war, effectively granting Russia immunity from prosecution for potential war crimes.
In exchange for these sweeping concessions, Moscow is required to offer little in return beyond a vague promise of "non-aggression against neighbors in the future." The U.S. would further aid Russia's reintegration into the global economy.
Adding immense pressure to President Zelensky’s government, an unnamed Ukrainian official told ABC News that Washington had directly threatened to "cut all aid" if Kyiv did not agree to the terms of the controversial deal.
EU Rejection and the Trump Factor
The plan has faced immediate and forceful pushback from Europe, emphasizing the deep transatlantic rift:
EU Principles: Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, warned that a peace deal is only valuable if it does not "sow the seeds for future conflict." She stressed the EU's non-negotiable principles: borders cannot be changed by force, Ukraine cannot be coerced into a military reduction that leaves it vulnerable, and the EU must remain central to any guaranteed peace settlement.
Polish Scrutiny: Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk publicly questioned the integrity of the document, demanding, "We need to know clearly who is the author of this draft and where it was written."
Despite the fierce opposition from Congress and key European allies, the Trump administration continues to defend the 28-point plan. Following a meeting with President Zelensky, President Trump confirmed his intent to "end the war along the current battlefield boundaries"—a position fully aligned with the controversial draft's core spirit.