Paris Summit: Ukraine, US, and EU to Tackle Contentious Points of Trump's Peace Framework

A high-level meeting is slated for Paris on December 13, 2025, bringing together representatives from Ukraine, the United States, and the European Union member states. The primary objective of these talks is to conduct an in-depth review of the contentious clauses within the peace initiative put forward by U.S. President Donald Trump. This gathering serves as a direct follow-up to intensive consultations held among European partners and a recent telephone conversation involving President Trump alongside the leaders of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

The discussions are heavily focused on the core components of Trump’s plan, specifically addressing proposed territorial adjustments and the future security architecture intended for Kyiv. Representing Ukraine, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom at the Paris session will be their respective National Security Advisors. As of the announcement, confirmation regarding the attendance of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who also serves as an advisor to President Trump, remained pending. Reports indicate that several European nations harbor reservations regarding certain aspects of the American proposal, with critics arguing that these specific points could be interpreted as concessions catering to Moscow’s maximalist demands.

Previously disclosed details suggested that the initial draft, comprising 28 distinct points, mandated the transfer of Crimea, Luhansk, and Donetsk under Russian control. Furthermore, this early version included stipulations for limiting the size of the Ukrainian military and establishing a freeze along the current lines of contact in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions. In response to external pressures, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that Kyiv is finalizing its own counter-proposal for peace, which will soon be formally delivered to Washington. Additionally, President Zelenskyy signaled Ukraine’s readiness to organize nationwide elections within a two-to-three-month timeframe, contingent upon partners being able to secure the necessary security guarantees for conducting the vote.

Following a conversation with President Trump on December 10, European leaders, notably German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, disclosed that they had presented the American side with their own proposal concerning territorial concessions for Ukraine—a development unknown to Trump beforehand. Merz characterized the exchange as constructive. Nevertheless, according to information obtained by CNN, the revised 20-point draft still incorporates elements from the original plan that are causing anxiety in Kyiv. These include the potential for the United States to officially recognize territories currently occupied by Russia. Trump’s framework also touches upon the reintegration of Russia into the global economy and securing investments from American corporations within strategic Russian sectors.

European officials have voiced significant apprehension over these suggestions, drawing parallels between the proposals and an “economic iteration” of the 1945 Yalta Conference. Simultaneously, the European Commission is strongly advocating for the utilization of frozen Russian assets to establish a dedicated “reparations credit” for Ukraine. Consequently, the upcoming meeting in Paris on December 13 is positioned as a crucial juncture for aligning these divergent positions ahead of any potential broader resolution to the ongoing conflict.