US president presses Kyiv to accept plan that would mean giving up territory to Russia

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Ukraine faces one of the most difficult moments in its history, as Donald Trump demanded Kyiv accepts within days a US-backed “peace plan” that would force it to give up territory to Russia and to make other painful concessions.

Trump confirmed on Friday morning that next Thursday – Thanksgiving in the US – would be an “acceptable” deadline for Zelenskyy to sign the deal, which European and Ukrainian officials have warned amounts to a “capitulation”.