Peace Plans Ready for Delivered to Moscow In the Coming Days, States Ukraine's President

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine stated that proposals for a ceasefire agreement developed with American diplomats are poised to be completed in a matter of days. Afterward, American envoys are expected to submit the documentation to the Kremlin.

Berlin Talks Yield Major Headway, But Key Hurdles Remain

After two days of discussions in Berlin, American negotiators indicated on Monday that around “90%” of the contentious issues between Russia and Ukraine had been resolved. Although the outlook appears positive, the path to ending the war is not guaranteed, especially given Russia's absence from the current dialogue.

In the early hours of Tuesday, Zelenskyy said that the American legislature is expected to vote on defense assurances and that a complete package of documents could be prepared “imminently.” He added that, the U.S. would hold consultations with Russian representatives, leading to summit-level talks possibly this coming weekend.

Security Guarantees and Allied Backing

“The plan involves five key agreements. Some of them pertain to binding security pledges: formally ratified, that is, approved and endorsed by the US Congress,” Zelenskyy commented to journalists. He stated that these guarantees would “reflect article 5” of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Earlier, US officials declined to give precise information regarding the probable makeup of the defense package or what would happen if Moscow sought to capture more land after a peace deal. They did, however, confirm that the U.S. does not intend to deploy troops on the ground in the country.

Heads of state from the UK, France, Germany and several additional European countries issued a joint statement that forces belonging to a “coalition of the willing” could “assist in the regeneration of Ukrainian military capabilities, in securing Ukraine’s skies, and in supporting safer seas, potentially by conducting operations within Ukraine.”

However, they did not suggesting these measures would serve as assurances equivalent to Nato’s article 5. Furthermore, there is scant indication that Moscow is near agreeing to the kind of arrangement being negotiated between Washington and Kyiv.

Moscow's Stance and Territorial Dispute

The following day, the Kremlin stated it had not seen the specifics of the proposals on security guarantees. Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, declared that Russia would never accept troops from Nato countries operating in Ukrainian territory “under any circumstances.”

The primary obstacle between the Ukrainian negotiators and US negotiators continues to be the territorial question. A key demand centers on Kyiv relinquishing the parts of the Donbas it still holds, while the Ukrainian side prefers to freeze the lines. “Talks continue on the land dispute. As is known, it is a central problem. At this point, there is no consensus on it yet,” Zelenskyy said following the Berlin discussions.

American mediators, headed by two senior advisors, has proposed a compromise solution. Under this plan would see Ukrainian forces pull back, but Russian troops would not advance, with the resulting zone becoming “an open economic area.” Russia has suggested it could use internal security formations rather than the military in such an area, implying it would still expect to control the territory.

“Let me reiterate: a ‘special economic zone’ is not controlled by Moscow. Neither de jure nor de facto do we accept Donbas – its temporarily occupied part – 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 land question. The Ukrainian leader has previously suggested that a negotiated arrangement such as a free economic zone might be conceivable if the citizens of Ukraine approved it in a referendum. The major impediment is expected to arise when the plans are presented to President Vladimir Putin of Russia, who has given no sign he is prepared to concede on his war aims.

“Should Russia refuse all proposals, we will end up with precisely the situation we are experiencing on our flight right now – instability,” commented Zelenskyy, making the statement as his aircraft took off from Berlin.

“I am confident the United States will apply sanctions pressure and provide us with more weapons if they reject the deal. I think, that would be a fair request from us to the Americans,” he concluded.