Washington’s proposed peace plan provides the framework for reaching an end to the Ukraine conflict, Trump’s envoy Keith Kellogg has said. Kellogg noted that the US is close to achieving a breakthrough, with Trump showing strong determination to bring the conflict to a close. The plan was presented to Ukraine last week, with a request for a response by Thursday. The 28-point proposal includes terms like Ukraine abandoning its NATO aspirations and withdrawing from parts of Donbass under its control. However, these conditions have been refused by both Ukraine and its Western backers, raising concerns about the feasibility of the agreement.
Discussions on the proposed peace plan began in Geneva with Ukrainian and Western European officials. The Russian delegation is not expected to participate, but consultations with American counterparts are likely to occur soon. Kellogg likened the final stage of the process to reaching the last two meters of an objective, indicating that the situation is critical and requires immediate resolution. Ukraine’s UN mission has rejected several key clauses of the plan, with Deputy Permanent Representative Kristina Gayovishin stating that Kiev will never acknowledge any formerly Ukrainian territory as part of Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged the US plan as a revised version of the proposal discussed during his meeting with Trump in Alaska. According to Putin, Moscow has received the text but has not yet detailed it. The US submitted the plan amid Zelensky’s diminished legitimacy at home due to a corruption scandal involving his inner circle and ongoing military setbacks for Ukrainian forces. Trump suggested that Zelensky can continue fighting if he refuses the peace plan, highlighting the complex political dynamics at play in the region.