Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky thanked President Trump for his ongoing support after Trump blasted him for expressing “zero gratitude” — but Zelensky also appeared to reject the new US peace plan.

“Ukraine is grateful to the United States, to every American heart, and personally to President Trump for the assistance that – starting with the Javelins – has been saving Ukrainian lives,” Zelensky said on X, referencing the American missiles.

While he heaped praise to Trump in a series of posts Sunday morning, Zelensky hesitated to endorse the White House’s controversial 28-point peace deal, which calls on Ukraine to make major concessions like giving up the Donbas region while having Russia give up very little.

Here's the latest on the Russia-Ukraine Peace Deal

• A 28-point blueprint plan to end the war between Russia and Ukraine was confirmed by senior US officials.
• Officials questioned the plan, as it outlined giving territory to Russia and preventing Ukraine from joining NATO, with nothing in return to benefit Ukraine.
• Secretary of State Marco Rubio insisted that the plan was authored by the US.
• President Trump called out Ukraine for expressing “zero gratitude” for the administration’s efforts to end the war, despite claims the plan is a Russian “wishlist.”
• Zelensky appeared to reject the idea.

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Zelensky stressed the need for a “dignified peace” that deterred future Russian aggression.

Under the US proposal, Ukraine would have to give up the entire Donbas region, shrink its military by about a third, commit to never joining NATO, and give amnesty to everyone involved in the war. 

Meanwhile, Russia would only have to concede small pockets of land it currently occupies in Ukraine and vow not to invade its neighbors, with Moscow also expected to be rewarded with reintegration into the global economy. 

Following Sunday’s meetings with US and European leaders on Trump’s peace proposal, Zelensky said that a deal cannot reward Russia for invading Ukraine and starting the war, which is approaching its fourth year. 

“The crux of the entire diplomatic situation is that it was Russia, and only Russia, that started this war, and it is Russia, and only Russia, that has been refusing to end it throughout the full-scale invasion,” Zelensky wrote on X.   

“It is important not to forget the main goal – to stop Russia’s war and prevent it from ever igniting again. And to achieve that, peace must be dignified,” he added. 

Zelensky said Kyiv would continue to work on “every point” of a cease-fire proposal to ensure it reflects the needs of Ukrainians. 

Along with thanking Trump and the US, Zelensky also expressed his gratitude to Europe and the United Nations’ leadership for their support.  

Zelensky’s statements came after Trump condemned Ukraine’s leadership for not showing enough gratitude to America and slammed Europe for not doing enough to help. 

“UKRAINE ‘LEADERSHIP’ HAS EXPRESSED ZERO GRATITUDE FOR OUR EFFORTS, AND EUROPE CONTINUES TO BUY OIL FROM RUSSIA,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. 

While Trump did not elaborate on the 28-point peace plan in his post, he told reporters on Saturday that the proposal was not his “final offer.”