Peace Proposals Ready for Delivered to Moscow Within Days, Says Ukraine's President
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced that proposals for a ceasefire agreement negotiated with US officials are poised to be completed in a matter of days. Following this, U.S. representatives are expected to present the documentation to the Russian leadership.
Negotiations in Berlin Produce Major Headway, But Key Hurdles Remain
After two days of discussions in Berlin, US officials indicated on Monday that around “90%” of the contentious issues between Russia and Ukraine had been resolved. Despite this optimistic assessment, the path to ending the conflict remains uncertain, especially given the Russian lack of participation from the current dialogue.
Early Tuesday morning, Zelenskyy noted that the American legislature was anticipated to vote on defense assurances and that a finalised set of agreements might be ready “today or tomorrow.” He added that, the U.S. would engage in discussions with Moscow, leading to summit-level talks possibly this weekend.
Defense Assurances and Allied Backing
“We are counting on five key agreements. Several concern security guarantees: legally binding, that is, voted on and endorsed by the US Congress,” the president remarked to journalists. He clarified that these assurances would “mirror the collective defense clause” of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Earlier, US officials declined to give precise information regarding the likely contents of the defense package or what would happen if Russia attempted to seize more land following an agreement. Officials did confirm that the United States has no plans to deploy troops on the ground in Ukraine.
Heads of state from the UK, France, Germany and several additional European nations said in a unified declaration that troops from a “coalition of the willing” could “help with the rebuilding of Ukrainian military capabilities, in securing Ukraine’s skies, and in supporting maritime security, including through conducting operations within Ukraine.”
However, they did not proposing these measures would serve as assurances matching Nato’s article 5. In any case, there is scant indication that Moscow is anywhere close to agreeing to the kind of arrangement being negotiated between Washington and Kyiv.
Kremlin Response and Territorial Dispute
The following day, the Russian government stated it had not received the specifics of the plans for security assurances. Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, declared that the country would not agree to troops from NATO member states operating in Ukrainian territory “under any circumstances.”
The main sticking point between the Ukrainian negotiators and their American counterparts remains the territorial question. A key demand involves Ukraine ceding the parts of the Donbas it still holds, while the Ukrainian side prefers to freeze the lines. “We are discussing the territorial issue. As is known, it is one of the key issues. At this point, there is no agreement on it yet,” Zelenskyy remarked following the Berlin discussions.
The US negotiation team, headed by two senior advisors, has proposed a middle-ground proposal. Under this plan would see Ukraine withdraw, but Russia would not advance, with the demilitarised area established as “a free economic zone.” Russia has suggested it could use internal security formations instead of the army in such an area, implying it would still expect to control the territory.
“Let me reiterate: a ‘free economic zone’ is not under the control of Moscow. Not legally or in practice do we accept Donbas – its currently occupied areas – as belonging to Russia. Categorically,” stated President Zelenskyy.
Path Forward and Potential Outcomes
The way ahead is uncertain how the two sides will resolve the territorial issue. Zelenskyy has earlier mentioned that a negotiated arrangement like a free economic zone could be theoretically possible if the citizens of Ukraine approved it in a referendum. The major impediment is likely to be when the plans are presented to Russian president Vladimir Putin, who has given no sign he is prepared to concede on his military objectives.
“Should Russia refuse all proposals, we will end up with exactly what we are encountering on our flight right now – instability,” said Zelenskyy, recording the comments after his plane departed from Berlin.
“I believe the United States will apply sanctions pressure and provide us with additional armaments if he rejects everything. I think, that would be a fair request from us to the Americans,” he concluded.