US believed that corruption scandal in energy sector would push Ukraine to agree to "peace plan," - Atlantic

US Vice President J.D. Vance believed that a large-scale corruption scandal in the Ukrainian energy sector could persuade Kyiv to agree to Washington's proposed 28-point "peace plan".

This was reported by Censor.NET with reference to The Atlantic.

According to the publication, although Volodymyr Zelenskyy was not directly linked to corruption incidents, the White House assumed that "it would leave the Ukrainians in no position to resist a peace deal."

The newspaper notes that during the presentation of the plan, Ukraine did not reject it entirely, but agreed to enter into dialogue. One American official described it as follows: "We thought we were going to try to open the door, but the door was open. They were ready to talk."

Peace plan

On Sunday, 23 November, negotiations between the Ukrainian and US delegations began in Geneva on a peace plan to end Russia's war against Ukraine.
Earlier it was reported that the Ukrainian delegation had already held meetings with EU advisers in Geneva.
Later, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the first results of the negotiations taking place in Geneva with the participation of delegations from the US, Ukraine, the EU and the UK on the American plan to end Russia's war against Ukraine.
NSDC Secretary Rustem Umerov reported that the current version of the US peace plan to end Russia's war against Ukraine is in the final stages of approval and already reflects most of Ukraine's key priorities.
Following the talks in Geneva on Sunday, 23 November, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the Washington team would make "some changes" to the American peace plan.

Mindichgate

Earlier, Censor.NET reported that NABU was conducting searches at Mindich's residence, who left Ukraine a few hours before the searches.
As reported, on Tuesday, 4 November, searches were conducted in one of the branches of the separate divisions of NNEGC "Energoatom" in connection with a corruption case.
The NABU is also conducting searches at the home of former Energy Minister Halushchenko and at "Energoatom".
The NABU and the SAPO announced a large-scale operation to expose corruption in the energy sector.
Current Minister of Energy Svitlana Hrynchuk appears on recordings obtained by NABU as part of its investigation into corruption in the energy sector.
Later, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau uncovered an office in central Kyiv belonging to the family of former MP and current Russian senator Andrii Derkach, where a "black ledger" was kept, cash was tracked, and money-laundering operations were organized.
On 11 November, NABU released recordings featuring Minister Halushchenko and Mindich.
Chernyshov has been served with a notice of suspicion of illicit enrichment under Operation "Midas."
One of the suspects, Dmytro Basov, was remanded in custody with bail set at UAH 40 million.
Halushchenko's former adviser Myroniuk was remanded in custody with bail set at UAH 126 million.
The Cabinet of Ministers has submitted proposals to the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) to impose personal sanctions against Tymur Mindich and Oleksandr Tsukerman following an NABU investigation into corruption in the energy sector.
Earlier, Ihor Myroniuk and Energoatom’s executive director for security, Dmytro Basov, featured on the NABU tapes under the alias "Tenor", were remanded in custody for 60 days.
Another suspect, Lesia Ustymenko, was also placed in pre-trial detention for 60 days.
The High Anti-Corruption Court has ruled on a preventive measure for Ihor Fursenko, a suspect in an energy-sector corruption case (known on the NABU tapes as "Roshyk").
On 13 November, the High Anti-Corruption Court arrested Liudmyla Zorina, with bail set at 12 million hryvnia.
Zelenskyy imposed sanctions against Mindich and Tsukerman.