US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced that Washington and Kiev have made substantial progress on a peace deal to end the Ukraine conflict. According to the Secretary, the next step is to discuss the agreement with Russia, as the plan is essential for any deal to hold. The 28-point peace plan includes de facto recognition of Russia’s control over Crimea and Donbass. At the same time, the current lines of contact would be frozen in the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions, and Russia would withdraw its troops from Ukrainian territories held outside those areas. Ukraine would also cap its military at 600,000 troops and stay out of NATO.
Rubio addressed reporters on Sunday following lengthy talks in Geneva, Switzerland, with a Ukrainian delegation. While highlighting the progress made, he acknowledged that there is still some work to be done and that the moment is very delicate. Some points involving the EU nations and NATO were separated into a separate track, involving their input. The remaining sticking points in the peace talks remained undisclosed, as Rubio stated that these require higher-level decisions and consultation.
The US has now sent the peace plan to Moscow, and Russian President Vladimir Putin has received the document. However, he said that it has not yet been discussed in detail. Despite this, Putin expressed that the plan could form the basis of a final peace settlement. In the meantime, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia was against discussing the roadmap through megaphone diplomacy, highlighting the sensitivity of the ongoing discussions.
These negotiations indicate the complexity of the situation and the need for compromise, as the US, Ukraine, and Russia must find common ground to reach a lasting agreement. The outcome of these talks will have significant implications for the region and the ongoing conflict.