Ask Onix
Zelensky signals openness to US-led peace plan amid Russia war concessions
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky indicated readiness on Thursday to engage with a US-proposed framework to end the war with Russia, despite provisions that would require Kyiv to cede territory, shrink its military, and abandon NATO aspirations-terms previously deemed unacceptable. The draft, shaped by US envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian counterpart Kirill Dmitriev, emerged as Moscow claimed minor advances in eastern Ukraine and Kyiv grappled with a $100 million corruption scandal implicating senior officials.
Key provisions of the leaked plan
The 28-point proposal, described by German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul as a "list of topics and options" rather than a formal plan, includes:
- Territorial concessions: Ukraine would relinquish parts of the Donetsk region still under its control, along with a pledge to forgo NATO membership.
- Military limits: Kyiv's armed forces would be capped at 600,000 personnel, with European fighter jets redeployed to neighboring Poland.
- Security guarantees: Vague assurances of Ukraine's protection, paired with an expectation that Russia would refrain from further invasions and NATO would halt expansion.
- Economic reintegration: Lifting sanctions on Russia and reinstating its membership in the G7, reverting the group to the G8.
Ukraine would also surrender "many of its weapons," according to the draft, though specifics remain undisclosed. The plan's tilt toward Moscow's demands has drawn cautious diplomacy from Kyiv, which has historically insisted on a "just and lasting" peace restoring its pre-2014 borders.
Kyiv's measured response and US assurances
In his nightly address, Zelensky acknowledged that US military officials in Kyiv had presented "their vision" for ending the war, framing it as part of Ukraine's longstanding goal of achieving "real peace" impervious to future invasions. He avoided outright rejection, instead emphasizing the need for a "worthy peace" that upholds "the dignity of the Ukrainian people."
The White House dismissed claims that Ukraine had been sidelined. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt asserted the plan was developed with "equal engagement" from both sides over the past month, calling it "a good plan for both" without elaborating. A senior US official told CBS News that Rustem Umerov, a top Zelensky aide, had agreed to "the majority of the plan" after negotiations.
"It's a good plan for both. We believe that it should be acceptable to both sides. And we're working very hard to get it done."
Karoline Leavitt, White House Press Secretary
European allies sidelined, Moscow skeptical
European leaders, including EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, confirmed they had not been consulted. "For any plan to work, it needs Ukrainians and Europeans onboard," Kallas stated, as the UK and France pledged troops to enforce a potential deal. Meanwhile, the Kremlin downplayed the plan's significance. Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov acknowledged "contacts" with the US but denied formal consultations, insisting any agreement must address "root causes"-a euphemism for Russia's maximalist demands, which Kyiv views as tantamount to surrender.
The draft surfaced as President Donald Trump prioritized peace talks over military aid, shifting US policy to require NATO allies to fund Ukraine's support. Trump's frustration with Moscow was evident after an August meeting with Vladimir Putin in Alaska yielded no breakthroughs, prompting new sanctions on Russia's top oil producers set to take effect Friday.
Escalating violence underscores stalemate
The diplomatic maneuvering coincides with unabated hostilities. On Thursday, a Russian strike on Zaporizhzhia killed at least five civilians, per regional officials. Hours later, Russia's defense ministry claimed to have intercepted 33 Ukrainian drones over its territory. Earlier this week, a missile and drone attack on apartment blocks in Ternopil left 26 dead and 17 missing, Zelensky confirmed.
As the war's fourth anniversary nears, the sides remain deadlocked. Ukraine has intensified long-range drone strikes on Russian military and energy sites, while Moscow's offensives in the east grind on. Zelensky is set to discuss the plan with Trump in the coming days, walking a tightrope between preserving US support and defending Ukraine's sovereignty.
