Ukraine, US and Europe develop new ceasefire plan with buffer zone – The Times
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine, together with the United States and Europe, had developed a set of proposals to end the war in Ukraine, despite Russia declaring its intention to continue hostilities until "Kyiv’s capitulation."
This was reported by The Times, according to Censor.NET.
More about peace plan
According to Zelenskyy, Kyiv worked on the plan with US President Donald Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, as well as European officials.
The plan will provide for:
- a ceasefire;
- the mutual withdrawal of Russian and Ukrainian troops from the front line;
- the creation of a buffer zone.
"As far as we know, the American side has several more ideas. They want to find the right moment to share them. We are waiting for them," the Ukrainian President added.
Vatican mission
A Vatican envoy reportedly arrived in Russia on Monday, prompting speculation that he might deliver the proposals. Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with States, was due to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Tuesday.
However, Russia has previously rejected similar proposals, so hopes of a breakthrough are slim.
Lavrov’s position
Lavrov said over the weekend that Russia would continue its war in Ukraine until it overthrew what he called Zelenskyy’s "neo-Nazi regime."
According to the Russian Foreign Minister, a ceasefire would allegedly allow "Nazi metastases" to spread from Ukraine. He described concessions as a betrayal of what previous generations had achieved by defeating Nazism.
Sentiment in Russia
Zelenskyy also noted that there was widespread opposition to the war within Russia.
"Many people in Russia want the war to end," he said.
According to the Levada Center, widely regarded as the only independent polling organisation operating in Russia, two-thirds of Russians say they want peace negotiations.
