Volodymyr Zelenski and Steve Witkoff Photo: Action Press / Shutterstock Editorial / Profimedia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced, on Thursday, that he spoke by phone with American emissaries Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, after revealing details of the new American plan intended to end the war in Ukraine, writes AFP.
“We discussed some important details of the ongoing work. There are good ideas that can contribute to a common outcome and lasting peace,” Zelenskiy wrote on Facebook.
The president said he had “a very good conversation” with the American emissaries and thanked them for their “constructive approach, hard work and kind words.”
“I hope that the understandings we reached today on the occasion of Christmas and the ideas we discussed will prove useful,” Zelenskiy continued.
Zelenski revealed the peace agreement negotiated with the US and proposed to Russia. What do the 20 points of the document that can end the war in Ukraine provide
The plan presented by Zelensky
The draft agreement for peace in Ukraine, obtained after long negotiations between Washington and Kyiv, contains a major concession accepted by Kyiv, write Kyiv Independent and Kyiv Post. The proposals will now go to Moscow – in recent days, the Kremlin has suggested that the peace talks have not progressed and that some of the proposals are not to Moscow's liking.
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.
Another document between Kyiv and Washington focuses on economic cooperation and has been described as “the road map for Ukraine's prosperity”, writes the Kyiv Independent.
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. Zelenskiy'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.
Specifically, Ukraine and the US have not completed two major aspects of the revised plan, points 12 and 14 – control of the Russian-occupied Zaporozhye nuclear power plant and control of the 2014 war-torn Donbas region.
The agreement also does not mention Ukraine's aspirations to join NATO – Zelenskiy recently hinted that Kiev is ready to give up its intention to join in exchange for strong security guarantees.
Russia's reaction
Russia will demand key changes to the latest U.S.-Ukraine 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.
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.
