Zelensky Responds To Trump: New Details Of Peace Plans For Ukraine

What conditions are Kyiv and European partners putting forward?

Thanks to leaks in Western media, it seems that the main parameters of the discussions on ending the war in Ukraine are finally clear. Reuters has published the full plan of US President Donald Trump and the response to it from Ukraine and European allies.

What exactly both options offer is discussed in the RBC-Ukraine.

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Focus on territories: what peace plan is Trump proposing

The parameters of the American plan leaked to the media literally immediately after the meeting in Paris on April 17, to which Trump's proposals were brought by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The main points were published by Bloomberg, Axios and The Telegraph. The main message is that Washington is already trying to persuade Ukraine to make territorial concessions.

In particular, the US is ready to de jure recognize the Russian occupation of the Crimea. And de facto - the occupation of the captured territories of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions. At the same time, the Russian army is required to transfer the Zaporizhzhia NPP (under American control), as well as withdraw from some of the territories. True, there was confusion on this issue - without specifics, they cited "two territories" in the Kherson region, then some part of the Kharkiv region.

Today, the Reuters agency made some clarifications to the territorial issue. Below is the full and, as they say, final plan of Trump.

Ceasefire. A complete ceasefire is proposed. After which Ukraine and Russia should immediately begin negotiations on its technical implementation.

Security guarantees. Without specifics, it is said that Ukraine will receive reliable guarantees, and the guarantors will be a special group of European countries, plus, possibly, willing non-European countries. The role of the United States is not mentioned.

NATO and the EU. Ukraine is required to refuse to join NATO. At the same time, it can seek membership in the European Union.

Territories. The United States de jure recognizes Russian control over the Crimea, and de facto over the captured Luhansk region and parts of Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions.

Ukraine will regain territory in the Kharkiv region, as well as the Kakhovka Dam and the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, with the proviso that the United States will control and manage the station, and electricity from it will be supplied to the controlled and uncontrolled parts of Ukraine. In addition, Ukraine will receive unimpeded passage along the Dnipro River (here, apparently, some concessions to Russia in the Kherson region are meant) and control over the Kinburn Spit in the Mykolaiv region.

Economy. The United States and Ukraine are implementing an agreement on the extraction of minerals. In general terms, it is said that Ukraine will be fully restored and will receive financial compensation for military damage. At the same time, it is proposed to lift American sanctions against Russia since 2014, and to restore cooperation between Washington and Moscow.

What conditions Ukraine and its European partners are putting forward

The next meeting of Ukrainian, American and European negotiators took place on April 23 in London. Initially, contacts at the level of foreign ministers were also planned. However, after leaks in the Western media, Ukrainian officials made a number of statements that the United States perceived as a rejection of the peace plan. As a result, only Keith Kellogg was present in London from the Trump administration, and signals began to come from Washington about a possible withdrawal from the negotiation process.

As stated in Kyiv, the negotiations in the British capital were useful and constructive. And Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky noted that Trump now also has proposals from Ukraine and European partners on his table. Today, his envoy Witkoff went to Moscow for the fourth meeting with Vladimir Putin. It is not yet clear whether new proposals were discussed. The Russian side only confirms that the possibility of direct negotiations with Ukraine was discussed.

Reuters also cites the text of the Ukrainian-European proposals, which became a response to Trump's "peace plan".

Ceasefire. Ukraine and Russia undertake obligations for a complete and unconditional ceasefire in the air, on land and at sea. And immediately enter into negotiations on technical implementation with the participation of the United States and European countries. In parallel, conditions for a full peace agreement are being prepared. The ceasefire regime is monitored under the leadership of the United States and with the support of third countries.

Russia returns deported Ukrainian children, releases civilian prisoners, and an exchange of prisoners is carried out according to the formula "all for all".

Security guarantees. Ukraine wants guarantees, including from the United States, similar to those that NATO members receive under Article 5 on collective security. Moreover, in this paragraph, Ukraine does not abandon its desire to join the Alliance and notes that such guarantees should be for a time, while there is no consensus among the allies regarding NATO membership. In addition, there should be no restrictions for the Ukrainian Defense Forces, and the guarantor countries, according to the formula proposed by the United States, send contingents (without restrictions) presence, weapons and operations). Ukraine will also be able to continue the process of joining the EU.

Territories. This point almost completely rejects the US proposals, except for the issues with the Zaporizhzhya NPP, the Kakhovka Dam, unimpeded passage along the Dnipro and control over the Kinburn Spit. Ukraine is not ready to discuss the issues of the Crimea and the temporarily occupied territories now. And it puts forward the condition - only after a complete and unconditional ceasefire. Territorial negotiations can begin on the basis of the line of control valid at that time.

Economy. Ukraine and the United States will implement an agreement on the extraction of minerals. Ukraine will be fully restored and will receive financial compensation, including at the expense of Russian assets. Which will be frozen until Russia compensates for the military damage. And US sanctions should be gradually weakened after achieving a sustainable one and can be restored if Moscow violates the peace.

How Trump and Zelensky comment on the initiatives

And although there is no official confirmation today, the comments of American and Ukrainian officials leave no doubt about the authenticity of these peace plans.

In particular, Donald Trump in a recent interview linked the Russian-Ukrainian war with Ukraine's desire to join NATO, and also stated that the Crimea would allegedly remain with Russia.

"The Crimea will remain with Russia. Zelensky understands this, and everyone understands it," he noted and added that the Russians occupied the peninsula under Barack Obama and what questions could there be for Trump in general.

According to him, no one is demanding that Ukraine recognize the Crimea as "Russian".

Although this does not particularly change the situation, since recognition of the illegal annexation by a country like the United States can lead to a chain reaction. According to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, with its plan, America showed the "finish line" of how Moscow and Kyiv can end the military conflict. It is also worth noting that Trump and Rubio, after Zelensky's criticism last week, stopped talking about leaving the peace process every day. The US President today even denied yesterday's statement about "his own deadline" on this issue. But at the same time, he does not hide his irritation that Ukraine and America will not sign an agreement on subsoil resources this week.

President Zelensky emphasizes that Ukraine will not legally recognize the occupied territories as Russia's. As for the position on NATO, set out in response to Trump's peace plan, he noted that Moscow should not have the right to veto Ukraine's accession to the Alliance. Although there is no talk of joining in the foreseeable future.

According to him, security guarantees should include contingents and a strong role for America: either in a format similar to the US-Israel relations, or in the format of Article 5 of the NATO Treaty. He did not specify how this might look, but noted that he is waiting for a reaction from Washington.

Zelensky agrees that Ukraine does not have sufficient military force to return Crimea. But he insists that he will not discuss territorial issues until a complete ceasefire.

"We respond that a complete unconditional ceasefire opens up opportunities to talk about everything. We are ready for dialogue in any format, with anyone in this format, at any time, but only after a real signal that Russia is ready to end the war," he added.

The positions of the parties will probably become even clearer soon. Tomorrow, Trump will fly in to say goodbye to the late Pope Francis and has already said that he may meet with Zelensky. He, in turn, has not yet confirmed a trip to Rome. But he hinted that meetings may take place in the coming days that should bring peace closer for Ukraine.

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