The United States has warned Ukraine that it may reduce intelligence sharing and weapons supplies to push Ukraine into accepting a U. S.-brokered peace deal. Washington has presented a 28-point plan that includes some of Russia’s key demands, such as Ukraine giving up more territory, limiting its military size, and not joining NATO. Sources indicate that Ukraine is facing increased pressure from the U. S. compared to past negotiations, with a deadline to sign the agreement set for next Thursday.
A delegation of U. S. military officials recently met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, and U. S. representatives described the meeting as successful. They are seeking a rapid agreement between the U. S. and Ukraine. During a call with allies from Britain, Germany, and France, Zelenskiy was careful not to dismiss the U. S. plan outright, acknowledging the efforts of the U. S. in pursuing peace but emphasizing the need for a plan that ensures true peace for Ukraine.
European leaders, who were not involved in the creation of the 28-point plan, voiced their strong support for Ukraine, emphasizing that the country should have the authority to decide the terms of any agreement. The EU foreign policy chief stated that there is no legal basis for Russia to demand concessions and warned that this is a very dangerous moment.
U. S. officials claim the plan was developed after discussions with Rustem Umerov, a key ally of Zelenskiy, who purportedly supported parts of the plan. However, Umerov noted that he had not approved the terms and was only organizing discussions. He stated that Ukraine will reject any plan that compromises its sovereignty. The Kremlin, meanwhile, has not received any official details about the U. S. proposal and urged Ukraine to make a responsible decision.
The 28-point plan reportedly includes terms that Ukraine officials previously deemed unacceptable, such as withdrawing from eastern territories claimed by Russia, limiting Ukraine’s military to 600,000 troops, and barring NATO troops from Ukraine. Furthermore, sanctions against Russia would be lifted gradually, and Russia would be allowed back into the G8, with certain profits from frozen Russian assets allocated for investment.
One major Ukrainian demand for strong security guarantees similar to NATO’s mutual defense clause is minimally addressed in the plan. Former President Trump, who came back to office promising to end the war, has expressed some agreement with Russia’s reasons for its invasion. Meanwhile, U. S. diplomats have been aiming for a peace agreement as Ukrainian forces face challenges on the battlefield. The ongoing conflict has seen Russia seize more territory, with reports of new advancements in eastern Ukraine, although Kyiv disputes some of these claims.
With information from Reuters