The administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump held confidential consultations with Russia regarding the development of a new plan to end the war in Ukraine. This became known amid reports of collaborative work on a document containing 28 points, inspired by progress in negotiations for an agreement in Gaza.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Key Aspects of the Plan and Positions of the Parties
The plan discussed between representatives of the U.S. and Russia is divided into four main sections: establishing peace in Ukraine, security guarantees, security in Europe, and future relations between the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine. It remains unclear how the document addresses the issue of territorial control in eastern Ukraine—one of the most contentious issues for the Ukrainian authorities.
The plan is being led by Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, who discussed it in detail with Russian representative Kirill Dmitriev. According to Dmitriev, during his visit to the U.S. in October, he spent three days negotiating with Witkoff and other members of Trump’s team, emphasizing a positive mood regarding the possibility of reaching an agreement.
“The President has made it clear that it is time to stop the killings and reach a ceasefire agreement. President Trump believes there is a chance to end this senseless war if flexibility is shown,” a White House official told Axios.
Position of Ukraine and the International Community
It was expected that Steve Witkoff would meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Turkey; however, the meeting was postponed. Meanwhile, Trump’s special envoy discussed the main provisions of the plan with the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Rustem Umerov, in Miami earlier this week. The Ukrainian side confirmed that it is aware of the developments from the American side.
It is known that the White House has already begun informing European partners about the new plan, planning to involve both Ukraine and European countries in the consultations. According to American officials, the document may be adapted based on the proposals of various parties.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky previously stated that Ukraine supports the idea of a ceasefire and is ready for diplomacy, but categorically rejects the possibility of “giving up certain areas, gifting our land to the aggressor.”
For its part, the Russian Federation continues to insist on the immutability of its military objectives. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has repeatedly emphasized that Russia is not satisfied with a short-term ceasefire, but rather seeks a “long-term stable peace.” Lavrov also claims that the reasons for the conflict are related to NATO’s eastward expansion and alleged discrimination against the Russian-speaking population of Ukraine.
Analysts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) have repeatedly highlighted that the Kremlin demonstrates a lack of willingness for honest negotiations, attempting to place the blame for the lack of progress on Western countries and the EU, despite adhering to maximalist positions in Russia’s war against Ukraine.