Prime Minister Mark Carney joined European and Japanese leaders in rejecting former President Donald Trump's controversial peace proposal for Ukraine during tense discussions at the G20 summit in Johannesburg, according to senior government officials.
Trump's Controversial Peace Framework
The 28-point plan, developed without consultation with Ukraine or its supporting coalition, includes provisions that have raised serious concerns among Western allies. The fourth point specifically calls for dialogue between Russia and NATO mediated by the United States, suggesting a fundamental shift in America's traditional role within the alliance.
This positioning implies that the White House no longer views itself as part of NATO and potentially considers Article 5 collective defense commitments as discretionary rather than legally binding obligations.
Objectionable Provisions and International Backlash
The proposed settlement contains multiple elements that critics describe as demanding Ukraine's capitulation. Key provisions require Kyiv to cede territory in Donbas that Russia has failed to capture militarily, impose caps on the size of Ukraine's armed forces, and offer amnesty for Russian war crimes.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's endorsement of the plan provided additional evidence of its one-sided nature, with the Kremlin leader stating he believes it could form the basis for a final settlement.
The plan was developed by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Russia's special envoy on foreign investment Kirill Dmitriev during meetings at Witkoff's Miami residence. Witkoff has previously made controversial statements about Putin, including saying I don't regard him as a bad guy.
Allied Response and Diplomatic Tensions
During the G20 summit held in late November 2025, Prime Minister Carney and counterparts from Europe and Japan unanimously agreed the Trump administration's proposal was unacceptable. However, disagreements emerged regarding the appropriate response strategy and the necessity of security guarantees for Ukraine.
A senior Canadian official present at the summit acknowledged the challenges of maintaining perfect unity, noting that when you put 13 leaders in a room with a broken air conditioner, you won't get perfect unity. Despite these tensions, the official emphasized there was far more unity than disagreement among the allies.
The leaders ultimately resolved to employ tact and discretion in their joint statement while clearly rejecting the American proposal. The statement welcomed U.S. peace efforts but suggested the plan required additional work, firmly stating that borders should not be changed by force.
In his conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Prime Minister Carney emphasized the need for Ukraine to be at the centre of any negotiations - a principle conspicuously absent from the Trump administration's unilateral proposal.
The diplomatic developments highlight the ongoing challenges in coordinating international response to the Ukraine conflict amid shifting American foreign policy priorities.
