President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that Ukraine faced losing its dignity and freedom or Washington’s support over a US peace plan which endorses key Russian demands and which Donald Trump said Kyiv should agree to by Thursday.
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The US president told Fox News Radio he believed next Thursday was an appropriate deadline for Kyiv to accept the plan.
In a solemn address to the nation which he delivered in the street outside his office, a location he uses only rarely for major addresses, Zelensky had earlier on Friday appealed to Ukrainians for unity and said he would never betray Ukraine.
“Now is one of the most difficult moments of our history. Now, the pressure on Ukraine is one of the heaviest. Now, Ukraine can face a very difficult choice – either losing dignity or risk losing a major partner,” he said.
“I will fight 24/7 to ensure that at least two points in the plan are not overlooked – the dignity and freedom of Ukrainians,” Zelensky said.
Washington has presented Kyiv with a 28-point plan, which calls for Ukraine to cede territory, accept limits to its military and renounce ambitions to join Nato.