Nearly four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has demanded a meeting with US counterpart Donald Trump to discuss “sensitive issues.”
In a press briefing on Tuesday, Zelenskyy claimed that negotiators from the US and Ukraine had come to an agreement on several issues aimed at ending the war, but that issues like territorial control of Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland remained unresolved.
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“We are prepared to hold a meeting with the leaders of the United States to discuss contentious issues.” The leaders’ level should be deliberating issues like territorial ones, according to the Ukrainian leader in remarks made on Wednesday by his office.
As Russia reviewed the most recent draft, Zelenskyy’s briefing came after marathon discussions on the 20-point plan in the US state of Florida. Russian President Vladimir Putin was informed by Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev, according to the Kremlin on Wednesday, and Moscow was developing a plan.
Donbas’s “most challenging point”
Kiev has been pressing Washington to change Trump’s peace plan, which had initially been criticized as a Kremlin wish list, including demands that Ukraine cede more territory, halt its military might, and forbid joining the NATO military alliance.
With Ukraine maintaining its current 800, 000 military at peacetime and additional documents agreed with US and European allies providing robust security guarantees, Zelenskyy claimed the most recent 20-point framework draft was a significant improvement over the earlier plan.
Despite the advancements, Ukraine and the US still struggle to reach agreement on territorial issues, particularly those relating to the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions’ disputed territorial claims. Zelenskyy called this “the most challenging point.”
Moscow wants to withdraw troops from the entire eastern Donetsk region despite Kyiv’s plea to “to stay where we are” and put an end to fighting at the current battle lines. About a quarter of the area is still under Ukrainian control, and it has rejected demands to renounce it.
The US has proposed a compromise agreement that would create free economic zones as the Kremlin’s maximalist territorial demands are unlikely to abate. Any arrangement must be conditioned on a referendum, according to Ukraine.
Additionally, Zelenskyy noted that there is still no consensus regarding the nuclear power plant’s fate. Near the front line, near the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, is located the country’s largest nuclear power plant under the control of the Russian military. According to the president, Kyiv proposed creating a small economic zone there.
We are saying that we will reach an agreement if all of the regions are included and we stay where we are, Zelenskyy said. There are two options, however, if we choose to stay where we are: Either the war will continue, or a decision will need to be made regarding all potential economic zones.
Additionally, the agreement calls for the Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Sumy, and Kharkiv regions to be withdrawn from the country, and international troops are stationed along the contact line to monitor the progress made.
The Russian contact line is becoming a de facto free economic zone because there is no faith in them, and they have repeatedly broken their promises, Zelenskyy said. International forces should be present to avert anyone from entering there under any pretense.
According to Audrey MacAlpine, a reporter from Kyiv, the key territorial question still appears to be “on the table,” adding that “there hasn’t been anything fully developed regarding exactly how to answer that question.”
She continued, “What it provides is a little more color in the form of sub-clauses of how peace might be achieved.”
They suggest things like a front-line surveillance system, for instance. There have always been issues over how to monitor ceasefire infractions between Russia and Ukraine, so this has historically been a source of contention if we look back at the Minsk agreements from around 2015.
He added that “he]Zelenskyy[/quote] also said that there are some things Russia is probably not ready for, specifically Ukraine, and that he is certain that both sides may need to make concessions on these crucial issues.
EU membership and funding for reconstruction
Additionally, the draft makes sure Ukraine receives “strong” security guarantees in line with NATO’s Article 5, which requires Ukraine’s partners to take action if a Russian assault is to occur again.
These guarantees will be included in a separate bilateral agreement with the US, according to Zelenskyy. A mechanism to follow the ceasefire will be established in this agreement, along with more information about the requirements for security to be provided. To ensure efficient oversight and quick response capabilities, the mechanism will use early warning systems and satellite technology.
The United States of America is in the mood that this is a first-hand diplomatic response to Ukraine. They think they are providing solid security guarantees, he said.
Other provisions of the draft include accelerating a free trade agreement with the US, allowing Ukraine to join the European Union at a specific time, holding elections following the signing of the deal, and accelerating elections.
Funds for economic investment and reconstruction are also included.
Source: Aljazeera
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