Negotiations on U.S. "peace plan" could last 12 months, WP says
Talks on the new U.S.-proposed peace plan for Ukraine could drag on for about 12 months.
Censor.NET reports this, citing The Washington Post.
A source familiar with the matter said the document contains a large number of "unrealistic provisions," and that bringing it into a form acceptable to Ukraine would require "months of painstaking negotiations."
"Even if Zelenskyy wanted to sign it, he couldn’t, because there is no political basis for that. It contains many unrealistic provisions. It is clearly a pro-Russian deal written by Dmitriev and Witkoff," the source said.
According to the source, the document resembles the minerals deal, which took three months to finalize before it was signed. In this case, however, it would be an agreement involving the United States, Ukraine, Russia, and European countries, so negotiations could last about a year.
"So in my view, talks will take around 12 months. I see this as the start of a peace process, not its end," the WP source concluded.
Background
- Earlier, Politico reported that the United States may present Ukraine with a framework agreement to end the war with Russia in the near future.
- Media outlets also wrote that Trump sent Pentagon representatives to Kyiv to restart peace talks.
- Reuters also reported that Ukraine had received a number of signals from the United States regarding proposals for a deal to end the war, but Kyiv did not take part in the discussions.
- The US peace plan envisages Ukraine making territorial concessions and reducing the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that peace in Ukraine would require difficult but necessary concessions.
- The German government released a statement by Merz, Macron and Starmer following their call with Zelenskyy, saying that the current line of contact should serve as the "starting point" for any discussions.
What is known about Trump’s peace plan?
According to NBC News, Trump has allegedly approved a 28-point plan to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. The plan was developed with the participation of his special envoy Keith Kellogg, Vice President J. D. Vance, Marco Rubio, and others.
Some reports say the plan includes security guarantees for Ukraine that could ensure a lasting peace. However, the alleged conditions include:
- handing over the entire Donbas, including territories currently controlled by Kyiv;
- reducing the size of Ukraine’s armed forces;
- cutting US military assistance;
- recognizing Russian as a state language and supporting the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine.
Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that under Trump, Ukraine could receive substantial military assistance and support for joining the EU and NATO. Pompeo also spoke of "real sanctions" against Russia if it does not agree to the plan’s terms.
