US President Donald Trump has warned that if Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejects Washington’s proposed peace blueprint, Kyiv will be left to continue the fighting. Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump described the American initiative as the only realistic path to ending the war, insisting that Zelensky would eventually have to accept it. He told reporters that if the Ukrainian leadership refuses, then “they should just keep fighting,” arguing that Ukraine has resisted compromises for too long.

Trump again repeated that the conflict was inherited from the previous administration and declared that the war would not have erupted if he had been president at the time. He said he believed Kyiv should have reached an agreement one or two years earlier. He also warned of the coming winter, noting that Ukraine’s energy network has suffered repeated strikes, creating a severe challenge for civilians and the armed forces. Trump added that he maintains a working relationship with Vladimir Putin, although “it takes two to tango.”

The American proposal, a 28 point document leaked earlier this week, has drawn intense scrutiny in Kyiv. Ukrainian officials say many of its provisions mirror long standing Russian demands, including significant territorial concessions, strict limits on Ukraine’s military capabilities, and constraints on future security partnerships. Reports have also indicated that US officials have threatened to halt the flow of weapons and intelligence unless Ukraine cooperates with the plan.

Zelensky addressed the country as debate over the proposal intensified. He described the current moment as one of the hardest Ukraine has faced, both on the battlefield and diplomatically. Without directly naming the American plan, he acknowledged the pressure Kyiv is under and outlined what he called an extremely difficult choice: either accept a deal that would undermine Ukraine’s dignity or risk damaging its relationship with a key ally. He said Ukraine could face a choice between accepting 28 complicated conditions or enduring what may become the harshest winter of the war.

In his address, Zelensky appealed for unity, asking politicians, citizens, and institutions to stop internal quarrels and political games. He urged parliament and the government to operate as one, emphasizing the need to remain focused on the real enemy. Sources in Kyiv confirmed that Zelensky held a call with US Vice President JD Vance as the pressure around the peace proposal grows, but no details were disclosed.

Trump, asked about Zelensky’s remarks, repeated that the Ukrainian president “will have to like the plan,” saying that if he does not, the fighting will simply continue. He referred again to a tense Oval Office meeting earlier in the year, telling reporters that he had warned Zelensky at the time that Ukraine did not “have the cards.”

The backdrop to this exchange remains the heavy toll of the conflict. Trump cited large weekly losses on both sides, claiming that combined casualties had reached levels not seen since the Second World War. Meanwhile, Putin has publicly signaled that Moscow is ready to show “flexibility” in discussions, though he also expressed satisfaction with Russia’s current military course.