No EU signature: Ukraine and Russia to sign separate peace agreements with US
Photo: Andrii Sybiha (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Ukraine will sign a 20-point peace agreement on the settlement of the Russian-Ukrainian war with the United States, while Washington is expected to conclude a separate document with Russia, said Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha in an interview with European Pravda.
Two documents instead of one
Sybiha said the 20-point framework agreement currently at the center of the peace process is bilateral in nature.
"If we speak strictly about this 20-point framework, it is now a bilateral document to be signed by the United States and Ukraine. The US is to sign the document with Russia," the minister said.
He stressed that talks are ongoing and the final configuration of the documents could still change.
EU clause: no EU signature, but with its consent
One provision of the peace plan concerns Ukraine’s European integration. Commenting on this, Sybiha emphasized that even without an EU signature on the document, no provisions can be adopted without agreement from European partners.
At the same time, the idea of Ukraine joining the EU in 2027 remains under discussion.
"The date is a complicated question. The EU has its own procedures, and we are bound by a consensus-based approach," the Foreign Minister explained.
Security guarantees, not assurances
Sybiha said European partners are involved in the peace process, including discussions on security guarantees for Ukraine.
He stressed that, for the first time, the talks focus on legally binding guarantees rather than political declarations.
"It is important that there is agreement on the need to ratify these guarantees, including in the US Congress," he added.
Peace talks in Abu Dhabi
The first trilateral consultations involving representatives of the United States, Ukraine, and Russia took place last week in the UAE capital, aimed at exploring approaches to a peaceful settlement.
The Ukrainian side described the talks as constructive, but no agreements were reached on territorial issues.
According to a source cited by RBC-Ukraine, the initial round of consultations was introductory in nature. On Saturday, the dialogue continued with expanded delegations, after which the parties agreed to focus on two tracks—political and military.
The source said the greatest progress was made in discussions on the military component, while the territorial issue remains unresolved.
US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff gave a positive assessment of the Abu Dhabi talks and confirmed the parties’ willingness to continue negotiations. The next trilateral meeting is tentatively scheduled for February 1.
