Russia does not agree with the 20-point peace plan proposed by Ukraine and the US / What changes does Moscow want

Russia will demand key changes to the latest Ukraine-US peace plan to end the war. Moscow wants further restrictions on Kiev's military capabilities, according to a person close to the Kremlin cited by Bloomberg.

Moscow, which sees the 20-point plan drawn up by Ukraine and the US as a starting point for further negotiations, announced on Wednesday that it was preparing a response to the peace proposals.

Moscow believes the plan does not include important provisions for Russia and does not answer many questions, said the person, who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the subject.

Russia does not, however, categorically reject the plan

Although Russia sees the current document as a fairly typical Ukrainian plan, it will analyze it “coldly,” the person quoted also said.

Vladimir Putin has yet to comment on the latest proposals to end the war, which were drawn up after weeks of negotiations involving US, Ukrainian and Russian officials.

Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev, who met with the US team in Florida at the weekend, informed the Russian president of the results, and Moscow will continue to contact Washington to finalize its position, Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.

Trump said this week that the talks are “going pretty well” and that there is a chance of a peace deal soon. For now there are no plans for Putin to have a conversation with Trump, Peskov said, according to the Interfax agency, quoted by Bloomberg.

What does Russia want?

Russia's concerns include safeguards against a future eastward expansion of the NATO military alliance and maintaining Ukraine's neutrality status if it joins the European Union, according to the source cited.

The plan also does not contain Russia's desired limits on post-war Ukrainian armed forces and types of weaponry, and does not provide clear guarantees on the status of the Russian language in Ukraine. Russia also wants clarification on the lifting of sanctions and hundreds of billions of dollars in Russian state assets frozen in the West.

Russia wants Ukraine to give up territories in eastern Donetsk region, which Putin's troops have failed to capture in nearly four years of war. Ukraine rejects this request, fearing that giving up the heavily fortified area would leave it vulnerable to a new Russian attack.

Ukraine wants to convince Trump to propose Russia stop the war on the current line of contact, Zelensky said.

A major concession by Kiev

“We are in a situation where the Russians want us to withdraw from the Donetsk region, while the Americans are trying to find a formula so that it is not called a 'withdrawal' – because we are against withdrawal,” Zelenskiy said. Giving up any territory would be difficult for the government in Kiev to implement, as it would violate Ukrainian law and require a referendum.

However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he is ready to withdraw his troops from areas of eastern Donetsk region still under Kiev's control and turn those territories into a demilitarized zone as part of a possible peace deal with Moscow.

It is the most important concession on territorial disputes, which have repeatedly stalled peace negotiations.

But the proposal also exposed the significant issues that remain between Ukraine and Russia.

Zelenski's offer of a demilitarized zone came with one condition: Russia would have to withdraw its forces from an equivalent zone in Donetsk. So far, the Kremlin has shown no sign that it is willing to accept anything other than full control of the region.

Also as part of the compromise, Zelenskiy pledged to hold presidential elections “as soon as possible” after a ceasefire. The cease-fire treaty would enter into force on the day the peace agreement is signed and would be monitored by international mediators.

The 20-point plan proposed by Ukraine to Russia

After weeks of negotiations, Ukraine and the US drafted a revised peace plan to end the war started by Russia. The original 28-point plan, which basically pushed Ukraine toward capitulation, was revised into a 20-point framework.

In addition, a tripartite security guarantee project between Ukraine, the US and Europe, as well as a bilateral security guarantee agreement between Ukraine and the US, were developed.

The document calls for signatories to recognize Ukraine's sovereignty, Ukraine would be allowed to maintain a peacetime army of up to 800,000 troops, and any violation of the ceasefire by Russia would trigger security guarantees from the US.

In addition, Ukraine won US support for a clear deadline for EU membership and a commitment of hundreds of billions of dollars for post-war reconstruction, as well as a new pact with Russia to protect its river and sea trade, according to Zelenskiy.

What are all 20 points of the peace agreement: HERE.