Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States Olha Stefanishyna warned that the peace plan proposed for Ukraine and Russia amounts to an “open highway” for Russian President Vladimir Putin to prolong the war indefinitely.
Speaking to National Security Correspondent Carla Babb in an exclusive interview Friday, Stefanishyna said the plan gives Moscow ample room to manipulate the terms.
“Well, I am absolutely sure that it’s a good 28-point peace plan for President Putin, not only because of the concessions and all the other stuff in the document, but because this document has nothing to do with peace,” she said.
“It’s a playbook for Putin to continue the war for at least another two decades. The misinterpretation could be done in every point of this plan."
"This gives an open highway for the Russian Federation, and personally for Putin, to speculate on every point and use it as an endless precondition to continue military aggression against my country.”
When asked which part of the proposal was the most problematic, the ambassador replied, “all” of them.
“I think all 28 points might be problematic if you see it with Russian eyes, because there’s no secret that there’s no commitment to end the war or begin peace talks. That’s why Russia, through its own vision of things, considers every point as something they could use to continue the war or trade for additional concessions,” Stefanishyna said.
Although President Volodymir Zelensky’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, resigned on Friday following corruption charges, the president dispatched a delegation led by Security Council Secretary Rustem Umerov to the United States to continue discussions on an agreement to end the war.
Yermak, previously seen as the second most powerful political figure in Ukraine after Zelenskyy, will not impact the country’s position in talks, Stefanishyna assured Newsmax.
The ambassador stressed that Ukrainians approach combat differently than the Russians, not only through technology but also through their emphasis on protecting human life.
“We want to live. We care about the life of every soldier. We care about the life of every Ukrainian, and that’s why, when you care about this, you make sure that you use every possible means to do so."
"And drones really save lives. Drones really help people survive at the front line. I think this is the driver, the intention is to fight back, but also to save lives," Stefanishyna continued.
Ultimately, Stefanishyna said the most important aspect of any agreement, beyond a cease-fire, is ensuring that Ukraine preserves its independence.
“But for Ukraine, of course, the most essential parts are related to the understanding of sovereignty, the scope of discussions on the territorial integrity of Ukraine, and the ceasefire,” she said.
Related Stories:
1236390
1235428
GET TODAY NEWSMAX+:
NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America with more than 30 million people watching!
Reuters Institute reports NEWSMAX is one of the top news brands in the U.S.
You need to watch NEWSMAX today.
Get it with great shows from Rob Schmitt, Greta Van Susteren, Greg Kelly, Carl Higbie, Rob Finnerty – and many more!
Find the NEWSMAX channel on your cable system – Go Here Now
BEST OFFER:
Sign up for NEWSMAX+ and get NEWSMAX, our streaming channel NEWSMAX2 and our military channel World at War.
Find hundreds of shows, movies and specials.
Even get Jon Voight’s special series and President Trump’s comedy programs and much more!
Watch NEWSMAX+ on your smartphone or home TV app.
Watch NEWSMAX anytime, anywhere!
Start your FREE trial now: NewsmaxPlus.com
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.