McCaul Urges Ukraine to Reject Trump’s Peace Proposal
Republican Representative Michael McCaul has advised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy against signing President Donald Trump’s peace proposal, stressing the need for a robust security agreement instead.
In a chat with ABC News, McCaul (R-Texas) emphasized that Zelensky should turn down Trump’s plan if it lacks a solid security framework.
He referenced the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, a deal where Ukraine surrendered its nuclear arsenal in exchange for security assurances from the U.S., Russia, and Britain.
This memorandum stipulated that signatory nations would respect Ukraine’s borders and sovereignty, refrain from military threats, and seek UN Security Council help if Ukraine faced aggression.
The proposed 28-point plan, crafted by U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, demands significant concessions from Ukraine, such as ceding territory, dropping NATO ambitions, and reducing its military forces in exchange for an end to hostilities and U.S. security guarantees.
McCaul mentioned that retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg is working on a security agreement modeled after NATO’s Article V, which would require collective defense among member states against attacks.
“Keith Kellogg is involved in creating a stronger security agreement. We hope it can resemble an Article 5-like arrangement,” he said.
“Otherwise, I wouldn’t recommend Ukraine sign this. You can’t just accept a deal like Budapest and allow Russia to invade again,” McCaul remarked, questioning what Ukraine gained in return for giving up its nuclear arms in 1994.
“Russia invaded without cause. Security promises were made, but they were just that—promises,” he added, reflecting on the agreement made under former President Bill Clinton. “Such a situation shouldn’t happen again.”
“I think there’s some flexibility in the proposal,” McCaul noted, adding that Senator Marco Rubio suggested more clarity might come in the next few days regarding its feasibility.
McCaul’s opposition to the deal aligns with his Democratic counterpart, Senator Mark Warner (D-Ind.).
“My reaction is negative. This could make Neville Chamberlain’s capitulation to Hitler seem strong by comparison during World War II,” Warner stated, asserting that the proposal echoes Russian narratives.
“This represents outright surrender, which is why there’s significant pushback from Congress on both sides. It feels like a plan heavily influenced by Russian perspectives,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin is pressing Ukraine to reach an agreement “now” or risk further territorial losses, which could weaken Ukraine’s negotiating stance.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, warned, “As territory is lost, options for decision-making shrink. Continuing the conflict is futile and perilous for them.”
In response to U.S. proposals, President Putin expressed that Russia is willing to consider these suggestions but claimed that Ukraine and its European allies are resisting because they “still believe they can achieve a strategic defeat for Russia on the battlefield.”
