Ukraine Expects US Peace Plan Delivery as Washington Urges Swift Resolution
Kyiv is finalizing a 20-point peace plan with the expectation of delivering it to the United States in the near future, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, as Washington increasingly pushes for a negotiated end to the war with Russia. The urgency from the US reflects growing pressure for a settlement, particularly with the approach of summer and, according to Zelenskyy, considerations related to the upcoming US elections.
Zelenskyy revealed on Friday that a delegation from the US administration, led by officials from President Donald Trump’s team, had proposed a timetable for ending the fighting, aiming for a signed agreement by June. The proposal emerged during peace talks held in Abu Dhabi. As part of this effort, the US has suggested hosting Ukrainian and Russian negotiating teams on American soil, potentially in Miami, within the next week.
The Ukrainian president indicated that the US administration’s focus on a swift resolution is, in part, driven by domestic political considerations. “Elections are definitely more important for them. Let’s not be naive,” Zelenskyy stated. “They say that they want to do everything by June… so that the war ends. And they want a clear schedule.”
Kyiv has presented its own “sequence plan” during the talks, though Zelenskyy did not elaborate on the specifics. He noted that security guarantees for Ukraine and a comprehensive “prosperity plan” for postwar reconstruction are central to the negotiations.
The US has also proposed a ceasefire covering strikes on energy infrastructure as a limited de-escalation measure during the peace talks. Zelenskyy said Ukraine is prepared to halt its attacks on Russian oil and gas facilities, as well as its targeting of the shadow fleet of tankers operating in the Black and Mediterranean Seas. However, Russia has yet to agree to this proposal.
Despite the ongoing diplomatic efforts, Russia continued its attacks on Ukraine overnight into Saturday morning, launching over 400 drones and 40 missiles. Zelenskyy reported that the primary target of the assault was Ukraine’s power grid, including generation and distribution substations.
Previous attempts at de-escalation, such as a reported one-week ceasefire on energy facilities proposed by Trump, proved short-lived. Russia halted large-scale missile and drone attacks on Kyiv and other areas for only four days before resuming bombardments, including a strike involving more ballistic missiles than any other since the start of the war.
Zelenskyy also revealed that Ukrainian and Russian military representatives have been discussing the technical aspects of monitoring a potential ceasefire, should a decision to end the war be reached at the presidential level. He indicated that both sides have expressed openness to US monitoring of the ceasefire, “if the Americans go for it.” Ukraine and Western partners have previously agreed on a multi-tiered plan to respond to potential Russian violations of a ceasefire.
Beyond direct negotiations with Ukraine, the US has also been engaged in separate bilateral talks with Russia. Zelenskyy said Ukrainian intelligence officials have briefed him on discussions involving Kirill Dmitriev, a Russian special envoy, who has been promoting development and cooperation deals potentially worth as much as $12 trillion. Zelenskyy expressed concern that this “Dmitriev package” could contain provisions regarding Ukraine that would be unacceptable to Kyiv, potentially infringing on its sovereignty or security, including possible US recognition of Russian control over territories like Crimea.
Despite the ongoing negotiations, Zelenskyy acknowledged that significant disagreements remain, particularly concerning the future of the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine. While the US has suggested establishing a free economic zone in the area, Zelenskyy stated that neither Ukraine nor Russia has shown enthusiasm for this idea. Russia, he said, seeks Ukraine’s withdrawal from the Donetsk region, a demand Kyiv has rejected.
A “common understanding” has also not been reached regarding postwar authority over the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which is currently under Russian control. Zelenskyy cautioned that despite a perceived shift in Russia’s tone during the latest round of talks, “there still is no trust” between Kyiv and Moscow. “We can’t trust them, and they can’t trust us,” he said.
