Egypt Daily News – The United States has proposed a draft resolution to the United Nations General Assembly calling for a “swift end” to the conflict in Ukraine, without any reference to the country’s territorial integrity, while President Donald Trump pressures Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The draft resolution, which consists of no more than 65 words and was reviewed by AFP on Friday, calls for a “swift end to the conflict and a lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia.” Its brief wording stands in stark contrast to previous General Assembly texts that explicitly supported Ukraine.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated, “The United States has put forward a simple and historic resolution at the United Nations, and we call on all member states to support it in order to chart a path toward peace.”
Russia’s ambassador to the U.N., Vasily Nebenzya, described the U.S. proposal as a “wise idea.”
European leaders, wary of the unexpected U.S.-Russia dialogue over Ukraine, had not issued a response to the American proposal as of Saturday morning, except for the Spanish Prime Minister.
Two days before his visit to Kyiv, Pedro Sánchez stated, “Peace cannot be imposed on Ukraine, nor security on Europe,” emphasizing that for peace to be “just and lasting,” it must be based on “support, cooperation, and participation from Ukraine and the Europeans,” rejecting the “law of the strongest.”
The upcoming U.N. General Assembly session on Monday will be the first since Donald Trump’s inauguration. On Friday, Trump sharply criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during an event with U.S. governors at the White House.
While Trump stated that both Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin should “communicate” to “stop a war that is killing millions,” he downplayed Zelensky’s role in the talks, saying it was “not of great importance.”
“I’ve had very good conversations with Putin, but my talks with Ukraine weren’t good. They have no leverage, yet they pretend to be strong. But we will not allow this to continue,” Trump said.
In an interview with Fox Radio, Trump added, “He’s been holding meetings for three years, and nothing has been achieved. I don’t think his presence in negotiations is very significant.” Trump also refused to directly blame Russia for the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, stating, “Russia attacked, but Western leaders shouldn’t have allowed it to happen.”
He accused French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer of failing to take action to end the war. Trump is set to meet separately with Macron and Starmer next week at the White House.
On Saturday, Macron stated, “I am determined to engage in dialogue on all topics with Donald Trump. We will discuss our agreements and disagreements, and I particularly hope we can find solutions regarding Ukraine.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Downing Street said Starmer and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized “the need for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine” during a phone call on Saturday.
The two leaders agreed that “Europe must act in the interest of its shared security.”
Ukraine Rejects U.S. Mineral Deal Proposal
Zelensky has reportedly refused to sign a mineral agreement with Washington, according to a source familiar with the matter who spoke to AFP on Saturday.
“They want to take $500 billion from us,” the source said. “What kind of partnership is this? Why should we give away $500 billion? There is no answer.”
The source added that Kyiv has proposed amendments to the deal.
In early February, after announcing his intent to end the Russia-Ukraine war, Trump stated that he wanted to negotiate a deal in which Ukraine would offer rare minerals—crucial materials for electronics—as “collateral” in exchange for U.S. aid.
He clarified that he had demanded $500 billion worth of these rare minerals from Kyiv.
U.N. Resolution Calls for Stronger Diplomatic Efforts
On the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion, Ukraine and European nations prepared a U.N. General Assembly resolution emphasizing the need to “intensify diplomatic efforts” to end the war “this year.” The resolution references various peace initiatives proposed by member states.
The text also reiterates previous General Assembly demands for the “immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine” and an end to Russian attacks against the country.
“A Brave Leader”
Trump’s recent comments follow a visit by Keith Kellogg, the U.S. Special Envoy to Ukraine, which appeared to ease tensions. Zelenskyy described his talks with Kellogg as “constructive,” while the envoy called Zelensky a “brave leader, besieged in a country at war.”
While Putin has said he is “open” to peace talks, Russia is demanding that Kyiv relinquish four Ukrainian regions claimed by Moscow, as well as Crimea, and pledge never to join NATO. These conditions are unacceptable to Ukraine, which insists on strong security guarantees from its allies to prevent future Russian aggression.
Trump, however, has dismissed Ukraine’s NATO aspirations as “unrealistic.”
On the Battlefield
Ukrainian forces continue to struggle on the ground. On Saturday, the Russian military announced that Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov had visited combat units in eastern Ukraine amid ongoing Russian advances in the region.
