(Source: Xinhua/IANS)
Washington, November 23 (IANS) The Russia-Ukraine peace proposal has been prepared with contributions from Moscow, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, noting that earlier suggestions from Kyiv were also factored in.
As he left for Geneva for discussions on the proposed settlement, Rubio stressed that the document had been drafted entirely by the United States.
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott earlier stated that the peace framework was put together by Washington while incorporating views from both Russia and Ukraine.
Pigott wrote on X that "as Secretary Rubio and the entire Administration has consistently maintained, this plan was authored by the United States, with input from both the Russians and Ukrainians."
President Donald Trump has insisted that the US-backed peace blueprint aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict is not his "final offer" to Kyiv.
His comments came after a coalition of Ukraine's Western allies expressed concern that the current draft required major changes.
Addressing reporters outside the White House on Saturday (local time), Trump said that if President Volodymyr Zelenskyy refuses the proposal, he can "fight his little heart out".
He has urged Ukraine to accept the deal by November 27, but when asked whether it represented his ultimate proposal, Trump said, "No, we'd like to get to peace. One way or another, we'll get it ended."
Trump also reiterated that the war would never have begun had he been president in early 2022.
Zelenskyy has warned that Ukraine is experiencing "one of the most difficult moments in our history," as the US presses Kyiv to consider a plan that many in Ukraine view as leaning toward Moscow's interests.
Washington has given Kyiv until November 27 to deliver its response, while Russian President Vladimir Putin has described the draft as a potential "basis" for an eventual settlement.
In a sombre national address on Friday, Zelenskyy cautioned that the country "might face a very difficult choice: either losing dignity, or risk losing a key partner." He pledged to uphold "the dignity and freedom of Ukrainians" and said Kyiv would continue to work constructively with the United States.
On Saturday, Zelenskyy appointed his chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, to head Ukraine's negotiation team. He said Ukrainian officials "know how to defend Ukraine's national interests" and will focus on preventing any future Russian aggression.
