Ukraine war news today: Chicago-area Ukrainians hope Thanksgiving 2025 does not slow down Russia peace deal

CHICAGO (WLS) — With Russia resisting an amended peace plan, some Ukrainian-Americans in the Chicago area are doubtful peace will come soon.

Others say it is a step forward that more Republicans in Congress are speaking out against the way the Trump administration is trying to broker a deal.

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Support to continue fighting rather than surrender territory to Russia has never wavered in Ukrainian Village, despite a war that is almost four years old.

“People support the mission; we have to win the war. We cannot give up our territory. This is not right,” said Vitaliy Kutnyy, Self Reliance Federal Credit Union CEO.

Self Reliance Federal Credit Union is a bank for Ukrainians.

“Ukrainians are not going to give up territories, not going to give up their freedom. If they wanted to concede that would happen back in 2022,” said Dr. Mariya Dmytriv Kapeniak, Ukrainian Congress Committee Illinois Division president.

Both say Ukrainians back home and living in the United States continue to strongly support Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

According to ABC News, the Ukrainian president has accepted a revised peace plan. The original 28-point plan brokered by the Trump administration was widely criticized for being too one-sided in favor of Russia.

“The positive is the whole Europe finally came together as one block. And they had; they all participated in negotiations with United States,” Dmytriv Kapeniak said.

Europeans and some Republicans in Congress spoke out against the original peace plan.

The Trump administration tweaked it and presented it to Russia, but Russia responded with more attacks on Ukraine.

Kutnyy is now doubtful a peace plan will work without Russia agreeing to a ceasefire. Dmytriv Kapeniak says the United States must include Europe on any plan.

“The solution is in United States working with Europe to end this war, to put pressure on Putin and because that’s the only person that really can end this war,” Dmytriv Kapeniak said.

Ukrainians in Illinois hope the Thanksgiving holiday does not slow down any momentum or public attention given to the peace talks this week.