Lawmakers deny US backed latest Ukraine peace plan

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia — U.S. lawmakers attempted Saturday to reverse days of confusion around a leaked peace plan for Ukraine, saying Secretary of State Marco Rubio assured them the document does not represent the Trump administration’s position.

Rubio called the bipartisan delegation to the Halifax International Security Forum on Saturday afternoon, they said, while en route to Geneva for talks with Ukrainian officials. He described the plan as a Russian proposal, they said, and not a U.S. initiative.

“He made it very clear to us that we are the recipients of a proposal that was delivered to one of our representatives,” said Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.). “It is not our recommendation. It is not our peace plan. It is a proposal that was received, and as an intermediary, we have made arrangements to share it — and we did not release it. It was leaked.”’

Their comments, at a Halifax press conference, amounted to a massive U-turn for an episode that has dominated the news this week and fueled a mad diplomatic scramble. The release of the planhas prompted questions in Kyiv, European capitals and Washington about whether the U.S. was backing a Kremlin-friendly plan.

Rubio told lawmakers that he was unaware of any plans by President Donald Trump to cut off intelligence sharing or military assistance if Ukraine rejected the terms.

“He told me … he was not aware of that threat being made,” Rounds said. “The intent was to take what had now been publicly discussed in news reports and to allow the Ukrainians the opportunity to respond back to it.”

The White House and State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The lawmakers said the call came at their request after they grew alarmed by the proposal and heard global leaders railing against it. Rubio, they said, agreed to walk them through the situation and gave the lawmakers permission to describe what he told them.

Rubio, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and Trump envoy Steve Witkoff are meeting with Ukrainian advisers in Geneva on Sunday before engaging the Russians. European governments are rushing envoys of their own to influence the talks.

National security advisers from France, Germany and Italy may join, and leaders from 27 European Union states are preparing a counterproposal. Many have called the U.S. document a nonstarter.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), also at the forum, said the peace plan included elements Ukraine and U.S. allies would never accept, including restrictions on NATO adding new members and the size of Ukraine’s military.

“There is so much in that plan that is totally unacceptable,” she said. “If we're going to have a real negotiation that is going to actually produce a peace deal for Ukraine and Russia.”

Daniella Cheslow contributed to this report.