Europe must prepare for large-scale conflict as Russia emerges as a direct threat, Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte warned, Times UK reported. Speaking on Thursday, Rutte said “conflict is at our door” and suggested that Moscow could be ready to use military force against the alliance within five years. His comments followed Ukraine sending a proposal to President Donald Trump outlining potential territorial concessions it would make to end the war.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told Times UK that the proposal, sent after consultations with European leaders and Trump, focuses primarily on what territory Ukraine would be willing to cede. However, Merz emphasized that “the Ukrainian president and the Ukrainian people have to answer the question,” cautioning against forcing Kyiv into an agreement its population would reject after four years of devastating conflict.
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov criticized European states for prioritizing a temporary ceasefire over long-term peace, claiming the West aims only to give Ukraine a breather before preparing for further hostilities. Lavrov argued that previous U.S.-drafted peace plans had removed certain clauses, including protections for minorities and bans on “Nazi ideology,” when rewritten in consultation with European powers.
The latest U.S. draft, according to Times UK reporting and CNN sources, includes a demilitarized zone and security guarantees aligned with Nato’s Article 5, but may also remove language barring Ukraine from joining Nato and outline a path for EU membership by 2027. The proposal also calls for elections in Ukraine, an idea supported by both Trump and Moscow.
Kyiv has submitted comments and amendments to the plan aimed at resolving contentious points, including territorial disputes and the status of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, according to a Ukrainian official cited by Times UK. Senior U.S. and Ukrainian military officials are expected to continue virtual discussions on the plan’s specifics.
President Trump has suggested that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky remains the main obstacle to peace, asserting that Kyiv would need to accept land concessions and a ban on Nato membership to satisfy a U.S.-backed plan. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov and Lavrov echoed support for Trump’s approach, claiming it acknowledges the “inevitable” causes of the war and Western hostility toward Russia.
Meanwhile, Russia continues to justify its 2022 invasion as a protection of Russian-speaking populations in the Donbas region, despite tens of thousands of civilian casualties and widespread destruction across towns and cities in eastern Ukraine. European leaders, including those from the UK, France, and Germany, have warned that conceding to Russian demands could dangerously weaken Ukraine and embolden President Vladimir Putin.
Times UK noted that discussions between European allies and Trump come at a critical moment, as Western powers weigh the balance between pushing for peace and ensuring Ukraine’s security amid an ongoing, high-stakes conflict.
