White House Eyes Imminent Ukraine Peace Deal, Officials Say Europe “Not a Priority”

Senior White House officials have signaled that the Trump administration expects a finalized framework for ending the war in Ukraine to be agreed upon by the end of this month, with some sources suggesting a deal could be reached “as soon as this week.” The push for a rapid resolution comes as Washington intensifies pressure on Kyiv, leveraging both battlefield setbacks and a burgeoning domestic corruption scandal to force Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the negotiating table.
According to reports from Politico and other insiders, the administration is preparing to present a “take-it-or-leave-it” deal to Kyiv. “What we are going to present is reasonable,” a senior White House official stated, implying that the terms will require significant concessions from Ukraine but will arguably guarantee its survival as a sovereign state. The proposal, described in some circles as a “28-point peace plan,” reportedly focuses on establishing a demilitarized zone and freezing current frontlines, a scenario that Kyiv has long rejected but may no longer have the political capital to refuse.
The urgency behind the U.S. timeline is driven by Zelenskyy’s increasingly precarious position. Beyond the grinding Russian advance in the Donbas, the Ukrainian president is grappling with a massive corruption crisis involving the embezzlement of over $100 million in energy defense funds. The scandal, which has implicated high-level officials and former business associates of Zelenskyy such as Tymur Mindich, has severely eroded his domestic standing and provided Washington with the leverage needed to demand compliance.
Perhaps most striking is the administration’s reported dismissal of European concerns regarding the deal. The framework has been crafted largely through direct back-channel talks between Washington and Moscow, bypassing European allies who have traditionally demanded a seat at the table. When pressed on the lack of consultation with EU leaders, one senior White House official bluntly remarked, “We don’t really care about the Europeans,” emphasizing that the only acceptance that matters is Ukraine’s.
This “America First” approach to diplomacy marks a sharp departure from the transatlantic unity of the previous administration. It aligns with the views of key Trump advisors like Keith Kellogg, who have argued that Europe must bear the primary burden of its own security. As the “End of Month” deadline looms, the message from Washington is clear: the window for negotiation is closing, and the U.S. is ready to impose a settlement, with or without European approval.