Estonian Member of the Parliament Riho Terras issued a sharp warning during an interview with Europe Today in Strasbourg on 27 November 2025. He alleged that the United States appears aligned with Russian narratives as diplomatic teams revise a 28-point peace proposal that alarmed European leaders due to its reported concessions to Russian demands.
Terras, a retired general of the Estonian Army and member of the European People’s Party group, argued that U.S. officials accept statements from Vladimir Putin without adequate scrutiny. Terras described the early draft of the United States proposal as a framework that would pressure Ukraine into capitulation under disadvantageous security terms.
Reporting regarding the leaked draft indicated clauses requesting reductions to Ukrainian military capacity, territorial concessions in multiple occupied regions, and a mechanism that would allow Russian influence over Ukrainian eligibility for NATO membership. European diplomats labeled these features as incompatible with long-term continental security.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio led discussions in Geneva with Ukrainian officials and a European delegation to revise the document. EU officials hoped that coordination could shift the terms toward a framework acceptable to Kyiv while preventing premature decisions that could weaken Ukrainian deterrence during ongoing Russian operations.
Terras stated that he was surprised by President Donald Trump during these developments, arguing that Trump advanced proposals that aligned with Russian strategic goals. Terras described the situation as a critical moment requiring rapid European coordination due to the possibility of a peace structure that undermined Ukrainian sovereignty.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen echoed concerns during parallel meetings and warned that Russian strategic planning has remained consistent since the initial invasion in 2014. She noted that decisions regarding Ukraine would influence broader European security and that Russian ambitions may extend beyond contested territories.
Note that discussions intensified around a reparations loan backed by frozen Russian assets held in Belgium. Officials reported that the European Commission was preparing legal documentation to authorize disbursement mechanisms and noted delays in Belgian administrative processing that slowed progress on a significant financial support instrument for Kyiv.
Terras urged Europe to accelerate financial commitments, citing a combined EU economic output of EUR 29 trillion and a population exceeding 500 million. He stated that these resources should enable rapid aid delivery, arguing that delays weaken Ukrainian stability and increase risks associated with a settlement that satisfies Russian preconditions.
FURTHER READING AND REFERENCE
- Genovese, V. 27 November 2025. “’Americans Believe Everything Putin Says,’ MEP and Former General Tells Euronews.” Euronews. Available online
Photo Credit: Sillerkill / Riho Terras at the Opinion Festival 2022 in Paide, Estonia / 2022 / Adapted / CC BY-SA 4.0 International