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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that the United States has proposed a plan that would involve Ukraine withdrawing from the eastern Donetsk region and establishing a “special economic zone” in the territories it currently controls.
Zelensky indicated that the status of territory and control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant remain key unresolved issues in the proposed peace plan for Ukraine.
In a briefing to reporters, Zelensky addressed the US desire for a swift resolution to the conflict, the intricate nature of the ongoing negotiations, and his assessment that Russia lacks the desire to end the war.
Zelensky stated that Ukraine has submitted an updated 20-point plan to the US, along with separate documents detailing security guarantees and provisions for Ukraine’s reconstruction.
This development follows weeks of intensive diplomatic efforts, which have involved the creation, adjustment, and revision of several peace plans by the US, Ukraine, Russia, and European leaders.
“The final mile is the hardest. Everything could fall apart for many reasons,” Zelensky remarked on Thursday.
Russia is demanding that Ukraine cede control of approximately 30% of the eastern Donetsk region that it still holds, a proposition Ukraine has rejected on both principle and due to concerns that it would provide Moscow with a strategic advantage for future incursions.
According to Zelensky, the US is now considering a solution that would entail Ukrainian forces withdrawing from parts of Donetsk, with Russian forces committing to refrain from advancing into the vacated territory. This area would then be designated as a “special economic zone” or a “demilitarized zone,” Zelensky explained.
However, he emphasized that a unilateral withdrawal by Ukrainian forces would be unfair and that Russia should reciprocate by withdrawing an equivalent distance.
“What will restrain [Russia] from advancing? Or from infiltrating disguised as civilians?” he questioned.
Zelensky characterized these as “very serious concerns,” suggesting that Ukraine might ultimately reject the proposal, although he left open the possibility of holding elections or a referendum to allow the Ukrainian people to decide.
He acknowledged that the ongoing conflict will likely continue to influence the course of negotiations: “Much depends on our military – what they can hold, where they can stop the enemy, what they can destroy. This affects the entire configuration.”
The management of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant was identified by Zelensky as another point of significant contention.
The power plant, the largest in Europe, is situated on the front lines and has been under Russian control since March 2022.
Zelensky suggested that a potential solution could involve Russia withdrawing from the plant, with Ukraine sharing control with the United States, although he conceded that the specifics of such an arrangement remain vague and that it is unlikely Moscow would agree.
US President Donald Trump appears to be increasingly frustrated with the complexities of the conflict, and Kyiv and its allies fear that the US may eventually seek to impose a Russian-backed solution on Ukraine.
Zelensky informed reporters that while the US desires a “quicker conclusion” to the war, there are no fixed deadlines for reaching an agreement.
Ukraine, which faces frequent aerial attacks, has been advocating for a respite and seeks an immediate ceasefire to be implemented before a more comprehensive agreement is finalized.
However, Russia stands to benefit from delaying a ceasefire, as its forces continue to make incremental advances on the front lines, and its attacks continue to strain the Ukrainian population.
“After multiple rounds of talks with Russia” the Americans were now aligned on Moscow on this position, Zelensky said.
Kremlin officials have maintained a more reserved stance than their European, US, and Ukrainian counterparts.
Nevertheless, Russia has consistently attempted to project the image that Moscow and Washington share similar aspirations regarding the terms of a peace agreement.
On Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov commended Trump for his efforts to broker a deal and stated that a recent meeting between President Vladimir Putin and US envoy Steve Witkoff at the Kremlin had “eliminated” the “misunderstandings” between the two sides.
The foreign minister also dismissed suggestions that Kyiv could receive security guarantees in the form of foreign troops stationed in Ukraine.
“This is yet another return to the sad logic of Zelensky’s so-called peace formula,” Lavrov said, adding that Moscow had handed the US “additional” proposals on collective security and that Russia was ready to give legal guarantees not to attack Nato or EU countries.
However, neither Ukraine nor Europe is likely to accept any promise from Moscow at face value, given Russia’s history of violating ceasefires and truce agreements.
European and Ukrainian officials want the US to be involved in giving security guarantees so that Kyiv doesn’t become the target of renewed attacks.
Zelensky said he had received a draft proposal on American security guarantees but that the draft was a work in progress, suggesting that what has been offered by the US falls short of provisions that could assuage Kyiv’s fears.
“The US does not want Ukraine in Nato. They say this openly… So I do not think they have difficulties discussing Nato with the Russians,” Zelensky said.
Zelensky also said Ukraine had to be “cautious”, adding: “We do not know what other agreements the US may have with Russia. We will learn in time.”
Ukraine’s president also acknowledged that US support for Kyiv may one day end, both in terms of the flow of weapons that the US is selling through other countries and in terms of intelligence sharing.
Reflecting the fraught nature of the talks and his skepticism that Russia was negotiating in good faith, Zelensky told reporters: “No one knows what may happen the day after tomorrow… We do not know how these negotiations will end.”
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