Diplomatic Plans Ready for Presented to Moscow In the Coming Days, States Ukraine's President

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced that proposals for a ceasefire agreement negotiated with US officials could be finalised in a matter of days. Following this, American envoys will present the terms to the Kremlin.

Berlin Talks Yield Significant Progress, But Key Hurdles Remain

Following extensive talks in Berlin, US officials indicated on Monday that around “90%” of the contentious issues between Russia and Ukraine had been settled. Although the outlook appears positive, an actual conclusion to the conflict is not guaranteed, especially given the Russian lack of participation from the current dialogue.

Early Tuesday morning, the Ukrainian president said that the American legislature was anticipated to vote on security guarantees and that a complete package of agreements could be prepared “imminently.” Subsequently, the U.S. would hold consultations with Russian representatives, leading to high-level meetings possibly this weekend.

Defense Assurances and Allied Backing

“We are counting on five key agreements. Some of them concern security guarantees: formally ratified, that is, voted on and approved by the US Congress,” the president remarked to journalists. He stated that these guarantees would “mirror article 5” of the Nato alliance.

Earlier, US officials did not provide precise information regarding the probable makeup of the defense package or the consequences if Russia attempted to seize more land after a peace deal. Officials did confirm that the United States does not intend to place boots on the ground in the country.

Leaders from the UK, France, Germany and eight other European countries said in a unified declaration that forces belonging to a “allied coalition” could “help with the rebuilding of Ukrainian military capabilities, in securing Ukraine’s skies, and in ensuring safer seas, including through operating inside its territory.”

However, they did not proposing these actions would constitute assurances matching NATO's Article 5. Furthermore, there is scant indication that Moscow is anywhere close to accepting the kind of arrangement being negotiated between the U.S. and Ukraine.

Moscow's Stance and Territorial Dispute

On Tuesday, the Kremlin said it had not received the details of the plans for security assurances. Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, declared that the country would never accept troops from NATO member states being stationed 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 involves Kyiv ceding the areas of the Donbas region it still holds, while the Ukrainian side prefers to freeze the lines. “We are discussing the territorial issue. As is known, it is one of the key issues. At this point, there is no consensus on it yet,” Zelenskyy said after the Berlin talks.

American mediators, led by two senior advisors, has proposed a middle-ground proposal. This framework would see Ukraine pull back, but Russian troops would not advance, with the demilitarised area becoming “an open economic area.” Russia has indicated it could use police and national guard formations rather than the army in such an area, suggesting it would still seek to control the territory.

“Let me reiterate: a ‘free economic zone’ is not under the control of Moscow. Not legally or in practice do we accept the Donbas region – its currently occupied areas – as belonging to Russia. Categorically,” said President Zelenskyy.

Next Steps and Potential Outcomes

It is not clear how the two sides will proceed on the territorial issue. The Ukrainian leader has previously suggested that a compromise solution such as a special economic area could be theoretically possible if the Ukrainian people approved it in a national vote. The critical stumbling block is likely to be when the proposals are presented to President Vladimir Putin of Russia, who has shown no indication he is prepared to concede on his war aims.

“If Putin rejects everything, we will end up with precisely the situation we are encountering on our plane right now – turbulence,” said the president, recording the comments after his plane departed from Berlin.

“I believe the United States will apply sanctions pressure and supply additional armaments if he rejects everything. I think, that would be a reasonable expectation from Ukraine to the United States,” he added.