Peace Plans Ready for Delivered to Moscow In the Coming Days, Says Zelenskyy
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine stated that proposals for a peace deal negotiated with American diplomats are poised to be finalised in a matter of days. Following this, U.S. representatives are expected to submit the documentation to the Kremlin.
Berlin Talks Yield Major Headway, But Key Hurdles Remain
Following extensive talks in Berlin, American negotiators indicated on Monday that approximately “90%” of the contentious issues between Moscow and Kyiv had been resolved. Although the outlook appears positive, an actual conclusion to the war is not guaranteed, particularly because the Russian lack of participation from the current dialogue.
Early Tuesday morning, Zelenskyy said that the American legislature was anticipated to vote on defense assurances and that a finalised set of documents might be ready “today or tomorrow.” Subsequently, the United States would engage in discussions with Russian representatives, potentially followed by summit-level talks as soon as this weekend.
Defense Assurances and Allied Backing
“The plan involves five documents. Some of them concern binding security pledges: formally ratified, that is, voted on and approved by the US Congress,” the president remarked to journalists. He clarified that these assurances would “mirror the collective defense clause” of the Nato alliance.
On Monday, US officials did not provide precise information regarding the likely contents of the defense package or the consequences if Russia sought to capture more land after a peace deal. They did, however, confirm that the U.S. does not intend to place boots on the ground in the country.
Heads of state from the UK, France, Germany and eight other European countries said in a unified declaration that troops from a “allied coalition” could “assist in the regeneration of Ukraine’s forces, in protecting Ukrainian airspace, and in ensuring maritime security, including through conducting operations within its territory.”
However, they did not proposing these actions would constitute guarantees equivalent to Nato’s article 5. Furthermore, there is little sign that Moscow is anywhere close to agreeing to the type of package under discussion between the U.S. and Ukraine.
Moscow's Stance and Territorial Dispute
On Tuesday, the Russian government said it had not seen the details of the plans for security assurances. Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Sergey Ryabkov, asserted that the country would never accept forces of NATO member states being stationed in Ukraine “under any circumstances.”
The primary obstacle between the Ukrainian negotiators and their American counterparts remains the territorial question. A key demand involves Ukraine relinquishing the parts of the Donbas region it still holds, while the Ukrainian side prefers to freeze the lines. “We are discussing the territorial issue. As is known, it is a central problem. Currently, there is no agreement on it yet,” the president said following the Berlin discussions.
The US negotiation team, headed by two senior advisors, has proposed a middle-ground proposal. This framework would see Ukrainian forces withdraw, but Russia would not move forward, with the resulting zone becoming “an open economic area.” Moscow has suggested it could use internal security formations rather than the army in such an area, suggesting it would still seek to control the territory.
“Let me reiterate: a ‘special economic zone’ does not mean under the control of Russia. Not legally or in practice will we recognise Donbas – its currently occupied areas – as Russian. Absolutely,” stated President Zelenskyy.
Path Forward and Possible Scenarios
The way ahead is uncertain how Moscow and Kyiv will resolve the territorial issue. The Ukrainian leader has previously suggested that a compromise solution such as a free economic zone could be conceivable if the citizens of Ukraine approved it in a referendum. The critical stumbling block is likely to be when the proposals are put to President Vladimir Putin of Russia, who has given no sign he is willing to compromise on his military objectives.
“If Putin rejects everything, we will face precisely the situation we are experiencing on our flight right now – instability,” commented Zelenskyy, recording the comments after his plane took off from Berlin.
“I am confident the United States will apply sanctions pressure and supply additional armaments if he rejects everything. I think, that would be a reasonable expectation from Ukraine to the United States,” he concluded.