Hello and welcome to news out from the BBC World Service, coming to you live from London.
I'm James Kimarasami.
It is not just war that can play out in the shadows, but also the push for peace.
Over the past couple of days,
a 28-point US plan designed to end the conflict in Ukraine has been leaking out in briefings and social media posts.
Today, it came out into the open, as did the tensions it has stirred up,
both among the apparently unconsulted Europeans and the Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky embattled on multiple fronts at the moment.
He's under pressure at home over a corruption scandal that has reached into the heart of his government and under pressure now from the United States,
which has given him a week to accept a deal seen as favouring Moscow,
one that tramples over many of Ukraine's red lines.
A deal drawn up by a pair of businessmen,
negotiators from the United States and Russia, Steve Witkoff and Kirill Dmitriev.
Mr Zelensky did not try to sugarcoat Ukraine's position during an emergency daytime address to the nation from outside his presidential palace in Kiev.
Now is one of the most difficult moments in our history.
Now the pressure on Ukraine is one of the most difficult.
Now Ukraine may find itself facing a very difficult choice,
either the loss of dignity or the risk of losing a key partner.
either difficult 28 points or an extremely difficult winter, the most difficult and further risks.
Well, for his part, President Putin has welcomed the plan.
He said it could lead to long-term peace.