Ukrainian president’s office issues statement after other officials condemn ‘absurd’ plan to end conflict…reports Asian lite News
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he will negotiate with Donald Trump on a US-backed peace plan that called on Ukraine to make painful concessions in order to end the Kremlin’s invasion of his country.
The president’s office confirmed he had received the draft peace plan, which was prepared by US and Russian officials, and that he would speak to Trump in the coming days about “existing diplomatic opportunities and the main points that are necessary for peace”. In his nightly video address, Zelenskyy said Ukraine would do nothing to disrupt any diplomatic efforts.
“Ukraine needs peace and Ukraine will do everything so that no one in the world can say we are upending diplomacy. This is important,” Zelenskyy said, adding that Ukraine would issue no “rash” statements.
“The number one task for everyone is a constructive diplomatic process with America and all our partners. It is vital to have stable support for our army and all our planned defence operations and deep strikes.”
The cautious response from Ukraine’s presidential administration followed angry denouncements of the plan by some Ukrainian officials who called it “absurd” and unacceptable. According to reports, the sweeping 28-point proposal closely resembles demands made by Moscow soon after its full-scale invasion in early 2022. It was reportedly drawn up by Russian and US officials, with support from Trump. Kyiv was not consulted. One European diplomat said they learned of the plan only when they turned on the news.
It envisages Kyiv giving up Crimea and the Donbas region, while the frontlines of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia would be frozen along the current line of contact. Ukraine would agree to limit its army to 600,000 personnel, a reductions of hundreds of thousands. European fighter jets would be based in Poland to protect Ukraine, but no Nato troops would be stationed in Ukraine and Kyiv would agree never to join the military alliance, according to the plan.
No foreign troops would be allowed on Ukrainian soil, a condition that rules out a post-deal peacekeeping force led by the UK and France. But the US would provide unspecified security guarantees, according to Axios. In addition, $100bn in frozen Russian assets would be dedicated to rebuilding Ukraine. There would also be a path to reintegrating Russia in the global economy, including the future lifting of sanctions.
Ukrainian officials said the document amounted to the effective end of its existence as an independent country. It comes nearly four years after Russian troops tried and failed to seize Kyiv, and as efforts by the Trump administration to end the conflict remain stalled.
Zelenskyy held talks on Thursday with a high-ranking US military delegation, led by the army secretary Dan Driscoll. Driscoll – a former classmate of the US vice-president, JD Vance – arrived in Kyiv bearing important messages from the White House, US sources indicated. He is likely to travel to Moscow at the end of next week to discuss the plan with the Kremlin, they said.
American diplomats said Donald Trump was trying to achieve peace “with an incredible sense of momentum”. His administration was pursuing an “aggressive timeline” with the Ukrainians to reach an agreement, they added, and wanted to achieve this in the “shortest possible” period. The White House said the plan was “good” for both sides, rejecting concerns that it echoes many of Moscow’s demands.
After an hour-long, one-to-one meeting between Driscoll and Zelenskyy, the chargé d’affaires at the US embassy in Kyiv, Julie Davis, said: “We have witnessed today a remarkable pace of diplomatic activity. We are going to continue these efforts today and tomorrow and keep at this.”
Officials in Kyiv were unimpressed. They said the proposal – reportedly drafted by Kirill Dmitriev, a close ally of Vladimir Putin, and Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff – was a “provocation”, the aim of which was to stir up division and “disorientate” Ukraine’s allies, they added.
“There are currently no signs that the Kremlin is ready for serious negotiations. Putin is trying to stall for time and avoid US sanctions,” said Oleksandr Merezhko, the chair of Ukraine’s foreign policy parliamentary committee.
“It means capitulation, for Ukraine, for Europe and for America,” said Roman Kostenko, a Ukrainian commander and politician. Last week, Trump named Driscoll as his new “special representative”. His mission to Kyiv included explaining the White House’s latest peace plan, as well as military meetings and discussions concerning battlefield innovation, a US official said. Two four-star generals travelled with him.
