Zelenskyy Seeks Trump Meeting as Ukraine Peace Plan Nears Completion, Donbas Remains Sticking Point
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A potential pathway to ending the nearly four-year-long conflict in Ukraine is emerging, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy requesting a direct meeting with former U.S.President Donald Trump to address “sensitive issues” as negotiators finalize a comprehensive peace plan. The advancement comes amid ongoing discussions and a revised framework initially criticized for appearing to favor Russian demands.
Zelenskyy revealed in an embargoed briefing on Tuesday that U.S. and Ukrainian negotiators have reached consensus on several key points aimed at resolving the war, but significant disagreements persist, especially regarding territorial control of Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland.”We are ready for a meeting with the United States at the leaders’ level to address sensitive issues.matters such as territorial questions must be discussed at the leaders’ level,” zelenskyy stated, according to a release from his office on Tuesday.
However,Zelenskyy indicated that the current 20-point framework represents a considerable enhancement. the revised plan would allow Ukraine to maintain its army at its current strength of 800,000 personnel during peacetime, and supplementary agreements with the U.S. and European allies would provide robust security guarantees.
Despite this progress, a fundamental disagreement persists over territorial issues. While Kyiv proposes a cessation of hostilities along the current battle lines – effectively maintaining the status quo – Moscow insists on Ukraine’s complete withdrawal from the entirety of the Donetsk region, despite Ukraine currently controlling approximately one-quarter of that territory.
Economic Zones and the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant
To bridge this gap, the U.S. has suggested a compromise: transforming disputed areas into free economic zones. Ukraine, though, insists that any such arrangement must be subject to a referendum.
Another unresolved issue concerns the fate of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest, which is currently under Russian military control near the front lines. Zelenskyy proposed establishing a small economic zone around the plant. “We are saying: If all regions are included and if we remain where we are, then we will reach an agreement,” he explained. “But if we do not agree to remain where we are, there are two options: Either the war continues, or something will have to be decided regarding all potential economic zones.”
The draft agreement also calls for the withdrawal of Russian forces from the regions of Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Sumy, and Kharkiv, and the deployment of international troops along the contact line to oversee the implementation of the agreement. “As there is no faith in the Russians, and thay have repeatedly broken their promises, today’s contact line is turning into a line of a de facto free economic zone, and international forces should be there to guarantee that no one will enter there under any guise,” Zelenskyy asserted.
Security Guarantees and Future Integration
A key component of the proposed agreement involves strong security guarantees for Ukraine, mirroring NATO’s Article 5, which obligates member states to defend one another. A seperate bilateral document with the U.S. will detail the specific conditions for providing security and establish a monitoring mechanism utilizing satellite technology and early warning systems. According to Zelenskyy, the U.S. views this as “an unprecedented step towards Ukraine,” offering substantial security assurances.
The draft also outlines a path for ukraine’s future integration into the European Union, with a specifically defined date for membership, as well as the acceleration of a free trade agreement with the United States. Furthermore, provisions are included for reconstruction funds and economic investment, allowing Ukraine to prioritize the allocation of resources in territories under its control.
As negotiations continue, the question of territory remains central. According to Al Jazeera’s Audrey MacAlpine, reporting from Kyiv, “there has not been anything fleshed out when it comes to exactly how to answer that question.” The proposed framework offers potential mechanisms for achieving peace,such as a monitoring system for the front line,building on lessons learned from the 2015 Minsk agreements. Both sides, however, are likely to require concessions on key issues to reach a lasting resolution.
