|
Zelenskyy told reporters late Monday that a draft peace plan
discussed with the U.S. during talks in Berlin earlier in the
day is “very workable.” He cautioned, however, that some key
issues — notably what happens to Ukrainian territory occupied by
invading Russian forces — remain unresolved.
U.S-led peace efforts appear to be picking up momentum. But
Russian President Vladimir Putin may balk at some of the
proposals thrashed out by officials from Washington, Kyiv and
Western Europe, including postwar security guarantees for
Ukraine.
American officials on Monday said there's consensus from Ukraine
and Europe on about 90% of the U.S.-authored peace plan. U.S.
President Donald Trump said: “I think we’re closer now than we
have been, ever” to a peace settlement.
Plenty of potential pitfalls remain, however.
Zelenskyy reiterated that Kyiv rules out recognizing Moscow’s
control over any part of the Donbas, an economically important
region in eastern Ukraine made up of Luhansk and Donetsk.
Russia's army doesn’t fully control either.
“The Americans are trying to find a compromise,” Zelenskyy said,
before visiting the Netherlands on Tuesday. “They are proposing
a ‘free economic zone’ (in the Donbas). And I want to stress
once again: a ‘free economic zone’ does not mean under the
control of the Russian Federation.”
The land issue remains one of the most difficult obstacles to a
comprehensive agreement.
Putin wants all the areas in four key regions that his forces
have seized, as well as the Crimean Peninsula, which Moscow
illegally annexed in 2014, to be recognized as Russian
territory.
Zelenskyy warned that if Putin rejects diplomatic efforts,
Ukraine expects increased Western pressure on Moscow, including
tougher sanctions and additional military support for defense.
Kyiv would seek enhanced air defense systems and long-range
weapons if diplomacy collapses, he said.
Ukraine and the U.S. are preparing up to five documents related
to the peace framework, several of them focused on security,
Zelenskyy said.
He was upbeat about the progress in the Berlin talks.
“Overall, there was a demonstration of unity,” Zelenskyy said.
“It was truly positive in the sense that it reflected the unity
of the U.S., Europe, and Ukraine.”
All contents © copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights
reserved |
|
