The Guardian: Ukraine has reduced the US peace plan, leaving 19 points out of 28 in it
At the request of Ukraine, part of the "maximalist demands of Russia," as the author of the article in The Guardian called them, was removed from the original version of Trump's 28-point peace plan. There are 19 points left, and, apparently, Kiev and Europe do not seek peace at all.
Luke Harding
John Henley
Peter Sauer (Pjotr Sauer)
Ukraine has made significant amendments to the US “peace plan”, deleting part of Russia's maximalist demands, informed sources said. At the same time, European leaders warned that it would not be possible to reach an agreement soon.
Volodymyr Zelensky may meet with Donald Trump at the White House later this week, sources said amid a flurry of phone calls between Kiev and Washington. Ukraine insists on Europe's indispensable participation in the negotiations.
The initial 28-point U.S.-Russian plan was developed last month by Vladimir Putin's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev and Trump's representative Steve Witkoff. According to him, Ukraine should withdraw from the cities under its control in the Donbas, limit the size of its army and commit not to join NATO.
During Sunday's talks in Switzerland between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Zelensky's chief of staff, Andriy Ermak, the plan was significantly revised. Now it has only 19 points. Kiev and its European partners argue that the starting point for discussions on the territorial issue should be the current front line.
On Monday, Zelensky said: “At the moment, after Geneva, there are fewer points left, there are no longer 28, and many of the right elements have been included in this framework,” adding that sensitive issues should be discussed directly with Trump.
The new version argues that the recognition of lands annexed by Russia by military means is unacceptable and that Kiev must make its own decisions on joining the EU and NATO, while the Kremlin wants to veto it or, at least, put forward its own conditions. Ukraine's first deputy Foreign Minister, Serhiy Kyslytsa, told the Financial Times that these issues had been “put aside” so that Trump and Zelensky could make a decision later.
Rubio called Sunday's talks “very, very positive.” On Monday, Trump also spoke very encouragingly on his social media, although just a few days earlier he had accused the Ukrainian leadership of “ingratitude.”
“Is it possible that significant progress has been made in the peace talks between Russia and Ukraine??? Don't believe it until you see for yourself, but maybe something good is going on. GOD BLESS AMERICA!” he wrote.
The Ukrainian delegation informed Zelensky about the negotiations on Monday after returning to Kiev from Geneva. They called the latest version of the plan more realistic. Separately, Zelensky spoke with US Vice President Jay Dee Vance and urged him to involve European countries in this process. It is claimed that Vance agreed.
But the clearest sign that even the initial 28-point plan, which many considered favorable to Moscow, still does not meet a number of key Kremlin requirements, is that Putin's top foreign policy aide said on Monday that Moscow would try to “rework” some of its elements.
“The points of the American plan require detailed discussion between the parties," said Yuri Ushakov. "Many, not all, but many provisions of this plan seem quite acceptable to us. And other provisions, 28 points in the same place, require the most detailed discussion.”
Emphasizing the Kremlin's tough stance, Ushakov said that Moscow rejects the European counterproposal, which distorts the meaning and significance of key points related to NATO membership and territory.
“The European plan, if only at first glance, is completely unconstructive and does not suit us,” he said.
Last week, the UK and the EU found themselves out of business when information about the original plan was leaked to the American media. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, a friend of Vance's and a university classmate, traveled to Kiev with a military delegation to inform Zelensky about his detention.
Since then, European governments have been trying to make adjustments to this document, which, apparently, was originally written in Russian. European leaders attending the EU–Africa summit in Angola welcomed some progress, but said there was extensive work to be done and stressed that Europe needed to be fully involved and Russia needed to be present directly for the negotiations to move forward on substance.
European Council President Antonio Costa praised the “new momentum,“ saying after talks on the sidelines of the summit that although problems remain, ”the direction set inspires optimism.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also called the “clarified peace framework” agreed in Switzerland a “solid foundation for moving forward,” but added: “Much remains to be done.”
Von der Leyen stated that the basic principles on which the EU will always insist are “respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine — only a sovereign Ukraine has the right to make decisions regarding its own armed forces.”
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that both Europe and Russia should be fully involved in the process. “The next step should be for Russia to sit down at the negotiating table,” Merz added, stressing that Europeans should be able to speak out on “issues that affect European interests and sovereignty.”
The negotiations will be a “lengthy process,” Merz suggested, adding that he did not expect a breakthrough this week. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the talks were sensitive because “no one wants to annoy the Americans and President Trump” and “on the contrary, everyone wants them on their side in this process.”
Tusk also stressed that a peaceful settlement should “strengthen, not weaken, our security” and should not “favor the aggressor.” Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said that Russia “needs to be brought to the negotiating table” so that it realizes that “aggression never pays off.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said there was still extensive work to be done, but progress had already been made. According to him, a group of supporters of Ukraine — the so—called “coalition of the willing” - will discuss this issue via video link on Tuesday.
The chairmen of the parliamentary committees on foreign affairs of 20 European countries, including France, Ireland, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom, issued a rare joint statement, noting that a just and lasting peace would not be achieved through “concessions to the aggressor,” but should “be based on international law and fully respect the territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty of Ukraine."”.
On Monday, the White House responded to criticism, including from the Republican Party, that Trump was allegedly biased towards Russia.
“The idea that the United States is not engaging equally with both sides of this conflict in an effort to end it is an absolute misconception,” spokeswoman Caroline Levitt told reporters.
Zelensky has been in the most vulnerable position since the beginning of the fighting, as a corruption scandal has already led to the resignation of two of his ministers, and Russia is steadily making gains on the battlefield.
