Ukraine has declared its readiness to cooperate with the United States in developing a comprehensive strategy to terminate the ongoing conflict with Russia, according to an official statement released on Thursday.
The development follows Washington's formal presentation of a detailed "draft plan" to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, though both nations have maintained discretion regarding the specific contents of the proposal.
Key Elements of the Peace Proposal
Information obtained by AFP from a reliable source indicates that the 28-point plan appears to align significantly with Moscow's longstanding maximalist demands for conflict resolution.
The territorial component represents one of the most contentious aspects, requiring "recognition of Crimea and other regions that the Russians have taken." Russian forces currently occupy approximately twenty percent of Ukrainian territory, with substantial devastation from prolonged combat operations.
The Kremlin has formally annexed five Ukrainian regions: Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson in 2022, alongside Crimea in 2014. Previous Russian demands included complete Ukrainian military withdrawal from Donetsk and Lugansk regions in exchange for freezing frontline positions in southern Zaporizhzhia and Kherson territories.
While Ukraine has consistently rejected recognition of Russian territorial control, officials have acknowledged that diplomatic channels might become necessary for recovery. However, ceding currently controlled territories in Donetsk and Lugansk could potentially expose Ukraine to future Russian aggression.
Military Restrictions and Security Provisions
The proposed agreement mandates substantial Ukrainian military reductions, requiring Kyiv to decrease its armed forces to 400,000 personnel—effectively cutting military capacity by more than half according to the same source.
Additional provisions demand Ukraine relinquish all long-range weapon systems, while Western media reports indicate a complete prohibition on deploying international troops within Ukrainian territory. These stipulations directly contradict previously established Ukrainian red lines while mirroring publicly disclosed Russian requirements.
The proposal includes ambiguous language regarding potential security guarantees from the United States and European nations. Ukraine has persistently sought concrete Western security assurances, preferably through NATO membership or Article-5 style defense commitments, alongside European peacekeeping forces to deter future Russian incursions.
Diplomatic Context and International Response
The plan's contents have sparked speculation regarding Russian involvement in its formulation. US media outlet Axios reported the Trump administration developed the proposal through clandestine consultations with Moscow.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio commented that "a durable peace will require both sides to agree to difficult but necessary concessions," emphasizing Washington's commitment to "continue to develop a list of potential ideas for ending this war based on input from both sides of this conflict."
President Donald Trump's stance on the Ukraine conflict has demonstrated considerable fluctuation throughout 2025, ranging from characterizing Zelensky as a "dictator" to advocating Ukrainian reclamation of all Russian-occupied territories and imposing sanctions against Moscow.
The European Union's top diplomat Kaja Kallas emphasized that any peace settlement must secure approval from both Kyiv and Brussels, noting "we have to understand that in this war, there is one aggressor and one victim. So we haven't heard of any concessions on the Russian side."
The Kremlin declined commentary when questioned about the reported peace plan.
