Axios: Secret US–Russia talks produce 28-point proposal to end Ukraine war

The Trump administration has been quietly coordinating with Russia on a new proposal to end the war in Ukraine, according to U.S. and Russian officials who spoke to Axios.

The initiative is built around a 28-point plan that U.S. officials say draws inspiration from President Trump’s recent push for a deal in Gaza. A senior Russian official told Axios he was optimistic about the emerging framework, although it remains uncertain how Ukraine and its European supporters will respond.

Officials familiar with the discussions say the proposal is organised around four broad themes: securing peace in Ukraine, establishing security guarantees, shaping the future of European security, and defining future U.S. relations with both Russia and Ukraine. It is not yet clear how the plan addresses the most contentious issues, including territorial control in eastern Ukraine, where Russian forces have made limited advances but still occupy far less territory than Moscow has repeatedly demanded.

Behind the negotiations is Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, who has been leading the drafting process. A U.S. official said he has been holding extensive talks with Russia’s representative, Kirill Dmitriev. Dmitriev, who heads Russia’s sovereign wealth fund and plays a significant role in Russia’s diplomatic channel on Ukraine, told Axios that he spent three days in meetings with Witkoff and Trump’s team during a visit to Miami from October 24-26.

Dmitriev told Axios he believed the plan had a stronger chance of success than previous attempts because, in his words, “we feel the Russian position is really being heard.”

Witkoff had been expected to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Türkiye on November 18 but Ukrainian and U.S. officials said the trip was postponed. Earlier in the week, Witkoff met Zelenskyy’s national security adviser, Rustem Umerov, in Miami to discuss the proposal, a Ukrainian official confirmed. “We know the Americans are working on something,” the official said.

A White House official told Axios that President Trump was determined to halt the fighting and push for a negotiated settlement. “The president has been clear that it is time to stop the killing and make a deal to end the war. President Trump believes that there is a chance to end this senseless war if flexibility is shown,” the official said.

Dmitriev explained that the concept behind the plan was to build on principles agreed by Trump and President Vladimir Putin during talks in Alaska in August. The goal, he said, was not only to address the Ukraine conflict but also to repair U.S.–Russia relations and respond to Russian security concerns.

“It’s actually a much broader framework, basically saying, ‘How do we really bring, finally, lasting security to Europe, not just Ukraine,’” he said. A document outlining the proposal is expected to be prepared before Trump and Putin’s next meeting, although plans for a summit in Budapest are currently on hold.

Dmitriev insisted the U.S.–Russia effort was completely separate from the UK-led attempt to develop a Gaza-style peace plan for Ukraine, which he dismissed as unworkable because it ignored Russia’s position. He also said Washington was now explaining the “benefits” of its framework to both Ukrainian and European partners. The talks, he noted, were taking place against a backdrop of what he described as further Russian gains on the battlefield, which he argued had strengthened Moscow’s leverage.

A U.S. official confirmed that the White House had begun briefing European governments on the plan, as well as Ukrainian officials. The administration believes there is a genuine chance of securing support from both Kyiv and European capitals.

The official said the proposal would be adjusted in response to feedback from all sides. “We think the timing is good for this plan now. But both parties need to be practical and realistic,” the official said.

By Tamilla Hasanova