Ukraine, US near 20-point peace deal as Putin spurns Zelenskyy Christmas ceasefire offer

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine and the United States are adjacent to finalizing a model of information guarantees and economical arrangements tied to a projected bid plan, portion Russia has signaled it volition question important changes earlier immoderate statement to extremity the war.

Speaking astatine a property league successful Kyiv connected December 22, Zelenskyy said talks with U.S. officials had produced a 20-point program and accompanying documents that see information guarantees involving Ukraine, the United States and European partners. He acknowledged the model was not flawless but described it arsenic a tangible measurement forward.

"There are 20 points of the plan, astir apt not everything is cleanable there, but this program is there," Zelenskyy said. "There are information guarantees betwixt us, the Europeans and the United States of America, determination is simply a model document."

US OFFICIALS TOUT PROGRESS IN TALKS TO REACH 'LASTING AND DURABLE PEACE' BETWEEN UKRAINE, RUSSIA

U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy during the 80th United Nations General Assembly, successful New York City, N.Y., Sept. 23, 2025.  (Al Drago/Reuters)

Zelenskyy said a abstracted bilateral papers with Washington covering information guarantees is intended to beryllium reviewed by the U.S. Congress, adding that cardinal annexes captious to Ukraine’s subject needs were mostly agreed.

"I saw the archetypal developments, determination are astir 90%, to beryllium honest, precisely those attachments that are important for us, what our service and Ukraine tin number on," helium said, describing the draught arsenic "quite decent."

A Christmas histrion remains successful the surviving country damaged by a Russian drone onslaught successful Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, connected Dec. 16, 2025. Russian troops onslaught a nine-storey flat gathering with a drone, starting a occurrence successful respective flats and injuring 3 people. (Dmytro Smolienko/Ukrinform/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

He besides said a archetypal mentation of an statement connected Ukraine’s betterment had been prepared, calling it an economical strategy that, unneurotic with the information documents, forms "the basal artifact of each documents."

Zelenskyy warned, however, that diplomacy has not reduced the contiguous subject menace from Russia. He criticized Moscow for rejecting proposals for a Christmas ceasefire, calling it a "bad signal," and warned of imaginable attacks during the vacation period.

MOMENTUM BUILDS IN UKRAINE PEACE PUSH, BUT EXPERTS FEAR PUTIN WON’T BUDGE

Ukrainian servicemen of the 44th artillery brigade occurrence a 2s22 Bohdana self-propelled howitzer towards Russian positions astatine the frontline successful the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. (Danylo Antoniuk/AP Photo)

"When Russia says determination volition beryllium nary Christmas ceasefire, I deliberation that this is, successful principle, ever what they say, they stress intimidation," Zelenskyy said. He added that Ukraine faces an air-defense shortfall and urged civilians to stay vigilant.

Reuters besides reported that Zelenskyy confirmed Russian forces captured a borderline colony successful Ukraine’s Sumy region, taking dozens of civilians and 13 Ukrainian soldiers prisoner. He said Ukrainian troops refrained from striking Russian forces due to the fact that civilians were present. Reuters noted it could not independently verify the relationship and that Russia had not commented.

On the Russian side, the Kremlin said President Vladimir Putin has been briefed connected the U.S. bid proposals, with Moscow expected to formulate its presumption successful the coming days, according to Reuters and Anadolu Agency.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

President Donald Trump, right, shakes the manus of Russia's President Vladimir Putin during a associated property league astatine Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Aug. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File) (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)

Bloomberg News reported that Russia views the 20-point program agreed betwixt Ukraine and the U.S. arsenic lone a starting point. According to a idiosyncratic adjacent to the Kremlin, Moscow intends to question cardinal changes, including further restrictions connected Ukraine’s military, arguing that the connection lacks provisions important to Russia and leaves galore questions unanswered.

The emerging positions underline a widening spread betwixt Kyiv’s portrayal of advancement toward information guarantees and Moscow’s insistence connected renegotiating halfway elements of the U.S.-backed program arsenic diplomacy continues.

Reuters contributed to this report.