Peace Plans Ready for Presented to Russia Within Days, Says Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced that proposals for a ceasefire agreement negotiated with American diplomats are poised to be finalised in a matter of days. Following this, American envoys are expected to present the terms to the Kremlin.

Berlin Talks Yield Significant Progress, But Key Hurdles Remain

After two days of discussions in Berlin, American negotiators reported on Monday that approximately “90%” of the contentious issues between Moscow and Kyiv had been settled. Despite this optimistic assessment, an actual conclusion to the conflict remains uncertain, especially given the Russian lack of participation from the current dialogue.

In the early hours of Tuesday, the Ukrainian president noted that the American legislature was anticipated to consider defense assurances and that a finalised set of documents could be prepared “imminently.” He added that, the U.S. would engage in discussions with Russian representatives, potentially followed by high-level meetings as soon as this weekend.

Defense Assurances and International Support

“We are counting on five key agreements. Several concern binding security pledges: legally binding, that is, approved and approved by the US Congress,” the president remarked to journalists. He stated that these guarantees would “reflect article 5” of the Nato alliance.

On Monday, US officials declined to give specific details regarding the probable makeup of the security package or the consequences if Moscow attempted to seize additional territory after a peace deal. They did, however, confirm that the United States has no plans to place boots on the ground in Ukraine.

Leaders from the UK, France, Germany and several additional European countries said in a unified declaration that troops from a “coalition of the willing” could “assist in the regeneration of Ukraine’s forces, in protecting Ukraine’s skies, and in ensuring safer seas, including through conducting operations within Ukraine.”

They stopped short, however, of proposing these measures would serve as guarantees matching Nato’s article 5. Furthermore, there is scant indication that Russia is near accepting the type of package being negotiated between the U.S. and Ukraine.

Moscow's Stance and Territorial Dispute

The following day, the Kremlin said it had not received the specifics of the plans for security guarantees. Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Sergey Ryabkov, declared that Russia would not agree to troops from Nato countries being stationed in Ukraine “under any circumstances.”

The main sticking point between the Ukrainian team and their American counterparts remains the territorial question. A key demand centers on Ukraine ceding the parts of the Donbas it still holds, while Ukraine prefers to maintain the current front lines. “We are discussing the land dispute. As is known, it is a central problem. Currently, there is no consensus on it yet,” the president remarked following the Berlin discussions.

The US negotiation team, headed by two senior advisors, has proposed a middle-ground proposal. This framework would see Ukraine pull back, but Russian troops would not move forward, with the demilitarised area becoming “a free economic zone.” Russia has indicated it could use police and national guard formations rather than the army in such an area, implying it would still seek to control the territory.

“I want to stress once again: a ‘special economic zone’ does not mean controlled by Russia. Not legally or in practice will we recognise Donbas – its temporarily occupied part – as belonging to Russia. Absolutely,” said President Zelenskyy.

Path Forward and Potential Outcomes

It is not clear how Moscow and Kyiv will resolve the territorial issue. Zelenskyy has earlier mentioned that a compromise solution like a free economic zone could be conceivable if the citizens of Ukraine voted for it in a national vote. 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 prepared to concede on his military objectives.

“Should Russia refuse all proposals, we will face exactly what we are experiencing 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 more weapons if he rejects everything. I think, that would be a fair request from Ukraine to the United States,” he added.