Diplomatic Proposals Ready for Presented to Russia Within Days, Says Ukraine's President

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine stated that proposals for a ceasefire agreement developed with US officials are poised to be finalised in a matter of days. Following this, American envoys will submit the documentation to the Russian leadership.

Berlin Talks Yield Major Headway, With Critical Obstacles Remain

After two days of discussions in Berlin, US officials indicated on Monday that around “90%” of the disputed points between Russia and Ukraine had been settled. Despite this optimistic assessment, the path to ending the war is not guaranteed, particularly because the Russian absence from the ongoing discussions.

Early Tuesday morning, Zelenskyy said that the American legislature was anticipated to consider defense assurances and that a finalised set of documents might be ready “today or tomorrow.” Subsequently, the United States would hold consultations with Russian representatives, potentially followed by high-level meetings possibly this weekend.

Security Guarantees and International Support

“We are counting on five documents. Some of them pertain to security guarantees: formally ratified, that is, voted on and approved by the United States Congress,” Zelenskyy remarked to journalists. He stated that these assurances would “reflect the collective defense clause” of the Nato alliance.

Earlier, American representatives declined to give specific details regarding the probable makeup of the defense package or the consequences if Russia sought to capture additional territory after a peace deal. They did, however, confirm that the U.S. has no plans to place boots on the ground in Ukraine.

Heads of state from the UK, France, Germany and several additional European countries said in a unified declaration that troops from a “coalition of the willing” could “assist in the rebuilding of Ukrainian military capabilities, in protecting Ukrainian airspace, and in supporting safer seas, including through operating inside Ukraine.”

They stopped short, however, of proposing these actions would serve as guarantees matching Nato’s article 5. In any case, there is scant indication that Moscow is near agreeing to the kind of arrangement under discussion between the U.S. and Ukraine.

Moscow's Stance and Territorial Dispute

On Tuesday, the Kremlin stated it had not received the specifics of the plans for security assurances. Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Sergey Ryabkov, declared that the country would never accept forces of NATO member states operating in Ukraine “no matter what.”

The main sticking point between the Ukrainian team and US negotiators continues to be the issue of land. A key demand centers on Kyiv ceding the areas of the Donbas region it still holds, while Ukraine prefers to freeze the lines. “We are discussing the territorial issue. As is known, it is a central problem. At this point, there is no consensus on it yet,” the president said following the Berlin discussions.

American mediators, headed by two senior advisors, has suggested a compromise solution. This framework would see Ukraine withdraw, but Russian troops would not advance, with the demilitarised area becoming “a free economic zone.” Russia has indicated it could use internal security formations instead of the army in such an area, suggesting it would still seek to maintain authority there.

“I want to stress once again: a ‘free economic zone’ is not under the control of Moscow. Not legally or in practice do we accept Donbas – its temporarily occupied part – as Russian. Categorically,” stated President Zelenskyy.

Path Forward and Possible Scenarios

The way ahead is uncertain how Moscow and Kyiv will resolve the territorial issue. Zelenskyy has earlier mentioned that a compromise solution like a free economic zone might be conceivable if the citizens of Ukraine voted for it in a national vote. The critical stumbling block is expected to arise when the proposals are put to President Vladimir Putin of Russia, who has given no sign he is willing to compromise on his military objectives.

“If Putin rejects everything, we will face exactly what we are encountering on our flight right now – turbulence,” said the president, making the statement as his aircraft departed from Berlin.

“I am confident the United States will increase sanction pressure and supply additional armaments if they reject the deal. In my view, that would be a fair request from Ukraine to the United States,” he added.