The "28-Point Plan" Ukraine Drama: Did Rubio Call It a Russian "Wish List"?

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly told a group of bipartisan senators that the leaked 28-point peace proposal for ending Russia's war in Ukraine is essentially a Russian "wish list" that the U.S. is merely passing along to Kyiv as an intermediary, not an official American plan.

The revelation, dropped during a Nov. 22 phone call amid the Halifax International Security Forum in Canada, has sparked bipartisan outrage, accusations of Trump administration chaos, and a swift State Department denial.

The Core Claim: What Rubio Allegedly Said

Timing & Leak Context:

The 28-point plan leaked mid-week (Nov. 20–21), outlining concessions like Ukraine ceding territory (e.g., Crimea/Donbas), no NATO membership, Russian G8 reinstatement, and frozen asset splits favoring Moscow.

Zelenskyy slammed it as a "difficult moment," Putin called it a "basis" for talks, and Trump teased "we have a plan" but said it's negotiable. bbc.com +2 The senators grilled Rubio on why it took days to clarify, especially after global allies (UK, France, Germany) voiced "reservations" and prepped a unified response for Sunday's Geneva talks.

The Pushback: Rubio and State Dept. Hit Delete

Trump, in a Nov. 22 presser, shrugged: "We'd like to get the peace... If [Zelenskyy] doesn't like it, then they should just keep fighting."

What's Really Going On? (The Bigger Picture)

This reeks of Trump 2.0 diplomacy: High-stakes bluffing to force concessions, but sloppy comms (leaks and mixed signals) have allies spooked.

The plan's Russia-friendly (e.g., asset splits, no NATO) has Zelenskyy digging in, while Putin smirks. Geneva talks (Rubio/Witkoff vs. Ukraine/EU) could clarify or explode it.

Critics (Dems/Republicans alike) call it "staggering incompetence"; fans say it's "4D chess."