Peace on US terms? What’s behind the 'fair proposal' for Ukraine and Russia

Last week, on April 17, negotiations took place in Paris involving Ukraine, the US, France, the UK, and Germany regarding the war in Ukraine. During the meeting, as reported by the news agency Bloomberg, the Americans presented their proposals for ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

However, the specific points of the US plan were not publicly announced. Nevertheless, American outlet Axios and British outlet The Telegraph, citing their unnamed sources in Washington and Kyiv, revealed the contents of the peace plan proposed by the team of US President Donald Trump.

In essence, it consists of 7 points. It is a one-page document, which, as Axios notes, is described as Trump’s "final proposal." Since the White House has threatened to withdraw from the negotiation process if both sides of the conflict do not reach an agreement soon, what exactly does Trump’s peace plan entail?

What the US is offering to Russia

• De jure recognition by the US of Russian control over Crimea. This contradicts international law, which states that "no country can annex the territory of another state."

• Allowing Russia to retain control over nearly all of the Luhansk region and the occupied parts of Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions. In effect, the proposal allows the aggressor to maintain control over the seized territories, albeit without formal recognition.

• A promise that Ukraine will not become a NATO member. However, Ukraine may be allowed to join the European Union.

• Lifting of sanctions imposed since 2014.

• Expansion of economic cooperation with the US, particularly in the energy and industrial sectors.

What the US is offering to Ukraine

• The document vaguely outlines "strong security guarantees" for Ukraine involving certain European and possibly non-European countries. There is no mention of any US participation in these guarantees.

• The return of a small portion of the Kharkiv region currently occupied by Russia.

• A partial concession, according to The Telegraph, would be restoring Ukraine’s access to the Dnipro River estuary and the withdrawal of Russian troops from another area of the Kherson region.

• Compensation and aid for reconstruction, although the document does not specify the sources of this funding.

Other elements of the plan

The US plan includes an immediate ceasefire and direct negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.

The document also addresses the issue of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP). It states that the plant will be considered Ukrainian territory, but the US will operate the facility. Electricity from ZNPP would be supplied to both Ukraine and Russia.

The plan also refers to the long-delayed Ukrainian-American minerals deal, which has not yet been signed. According to the document, Ukraine would sign a minerals deal, granting American companies access to the country’s natural resources.

According to Axios, this American plan was developed after Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, recently held a four-hour meeting in Russia with President Vladimir Putin.

The Financial Times, for its part, reported that after the plan was presented, Putin was allegedly willing to drop his demand for full control over four Ukrainian regions. Allegedly, the Kremlin leader proposed halting Russia’s offensive along the current front line as part of a potential agreement. However, the Kremlin has dismissed the FT report as "fake."

After the contents of the US peace plan entered the public domain, the US effectively confirmed its intention to push for a frozen conflict in Ukraine.

US Vice President J.D. Vance stated that Ukraine and Russia must agree to America’s proposed peace offer, warning that Washington will withdraw from negotiations otherwise.

In his view, the United States has made a "clear and fair proposal to both the Russians and Ukrainians." Therefore, according to him, it’s time for both sides to say "yes" to the American peace proposal.

He also added that both Ukraine and Russia will have to give up parts of the territory each side currently controls.

"There are going to have to be some territorial exchanges. Both sides need to put down their weapons, to freeze this thing and to get on with the business of actually building a better Russia and a better Ukraine,” Vance said.

What’s next?

Western media reported that Kyiv was expected to respond to these proposals by April 23. Today, consultations similar to those held in Paris on April 17 were supposed to take place in London. If the positions of the US, Europe, and Ukraine aligned, the proposals were to be handed over to Moscow.

However, a source close to the Ukrainian government told Axios that Kyiv considered the US proposals to be extremely one-sided in favor of Russia, noting that the proposal clearly outlined the tangible benefits for Russia while mentioning only vaguely and in general terms what Ukraine would receive.

Additionally, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated yesterday during a conversation with journalists that media reports about the possible recognition of Crimea as Russian within the framework of a peace deal, as well as other peace plan suggestions, do not represent Washington’s official position. He assured that Kyiv had not received any such signals at a high level.

Following these remarks, CNN reported that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio decided not to attend today’s meeting in the UK. Meanwhile, The Washington Post stated that the talks in London collapsed due to Ukraine’s unwillingness to concede territory to Russia. Reportedly, Washington was displeased that Kyiv preferred to "first discuss a complete ceasefire, and everything else – later."

As a result, the level of Ukraine-related negotiations in London was downgraded. The UK officially confirmed that peace talks at the level of foreign ministers scheduled for Wednesday in London were postponed. Instead, national security advisors from the UK, France, and Germany, as well as representatives from the US and Ukraine, met in the British capital.

Thus, Kyiv continues to defend its principled position: an unconditional ceasefire on land, in the air, and at sea, with everything else to follow.

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Yuliia Svyrydenko stated that Ukraine is ready to negotiate, but not to surrender, and will not accept a frozen conflict or ever recognize the occupation of Crimea.

And today, Zelenskyy reiterated that Ukraine has repeatedly said it does not rule out any format that could lead to a ceasefire and ultimately to real peace. But stopping the killings remains the number one priority.

More on the reasons behind the collapse of the high-level meeting in London, the American peace plan, and reactions to it in the EU and Ukraine – in a material by RBC-Ukraine.

Sources: materials by The Telegraph, Bloomberg, CNN, Sky News, The Washington Post, Axios, Financial Times, as well as statements by national leaders and government representatives.