Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pleaded on Thursday for a “dignified peace”while the United States presented a plan, consulted by AFP, which specifically provides for Kiev to cede the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk to Russia.
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These two regions, claimed by Moscow, as well as the Crimean Peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014, would be “de facto recognized as Russian, including by the United States”according to this project, quoted by Agerpres.
The White House stressed that talks are still ongoing on the peace plan, presented as Ukraine's outnumbered and underequipped military struggles to limit Russian advances on the front.
Territorial concessions and giving up NATO
According to the 28-point plan, two other southern regions would be divided along the current front line. It is about Kherson and Zaporizhia, where a Russian air attack left at least five dead and several injured on Thursday evening, according to rescue teams.
According to this text, the Ukrainian army would withdraw from the Donetsk region that it controls and which would then become a demilitarized buffer zone belonging to Russia.
If the plan were accepted as it is, Kiev would renounce its membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and enshrine this commitment in its Constitution. For its part, NATO would exclude in its statutes any future accession of the country.
It is also a major Russian claim.
The text stipulates that the Ukrainian army will be limited to 600,000 soldiers, that NATO will commit not to station troops in Ukraine, and that European fighter aircraft bases will be set up in Poland.
Zelenski calls for a dignified peace
“Ukraine needs peace. (…) A dignified peace, so that the conditions respect our independence, our sovereignty and the dignity of the Ukrainian people”said Volodymyr Zelensky in his daily speech broadcast on social networks, after he had a meeting with the US Secretary of the Army, Daniel Driscoll.
He intends to discuss “in the coming days” with his American counterpart, Donald Trump.
“The president (Donald Trump) supports this plan. It's a good plan for both Russia and Ukraine, and we think it's acceptable to both sides.”White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt pointed out Thursday.
She insisted that Washington had discussed with both the Ukrainians and the Russians, after voices were heard from the Ukrainian side to deplore a plan very close to the Kremlin's demands.
A senior US official told AFP that Kiev had asked to amend a point in the plan, which provided for a “audit” of the aid received by the country and sanctions in case of misappropriation of funds, at a time when Ukraine is facing a major corruption scandal.
In the version consulted by AFP, this notion of audit disappeared, being replaced by the promise that “all parties involved in this conflict will receive a full amnesty for their actions during the war”.
Unspecified security guarantees
The plan supported by the Americans provides for the signing of a “non-aggression pact” between Russia, Ukraine and Europe.
Kiev would be “eligible” to join the European Union.
If Russia invades Ukraine again, it would face a military response, according to this draft plan “coordinated” and would again be subject to international sanctions.
The 28-point proposal, consulted by AFP, includes “security guarantees” for Ukraine, the details of which are not specified, a reconstruction plan and the organization of elections in the country within 100 days.
The plan stipulates, among other things, that US-led reconstruction efforts will be financed with $100 billion of currently frozen Russian assets.
The Zaporizhia nuclear power plant will be restarted under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency, with 50% of its electricity output going to Ukraine and 50% to Russia.
The implementation of these 28 points would be overseen by a “peace council” chaired by Donald Trump.
