Ukraine, US, and EU to hold crucial talks in Paris over Trump's peace plan
Photo: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Getty Images)
On Saturday, December 13, Ukraine, the US, and the EU will hold important talks in Paris over controversial points in Trump's peace plan, Axios reports.
National security advisors from Ukraine, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom will take part in the meeting. It has not yet been confirmed whether US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who led the delegation in previous negotiations, will arrive in Paris.
Officials plan to discuss the key provisions of Trump's 20-point peace plan for resolving the conflict in Ukraine and to reach a consensus on territorial issues as well as security guarantees.
The Paris meeting comes after a phone call last Wednesday between Trump and the leaders of France, Germany, and the UK. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz noted that only Ukraine can make decisions regarding its territory, while US President Donald Trump described the conversation as quite sharp.
Indeed, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is currently facing pressure from the US to quickly approve the 20-point Trump plan, which includes significant territorial concessions. At the same time, European countries are advising Kyiv to proceed cautiously and consider each step carefully to avoid excessive pressure.
The Paris meeting could be a key step in preparing a new series of negotiations to resolve the conflict in Ukraine. However, the outcome remains uncertain given Europe's skeptical stance on some of Trump's proposals.
Trump's peace plan
Earlier, Ukraine sent the Trump administration a detailed response to the latest version of the peace plan, including proposals on territorial issues and the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.
According to President Zelenskyy, Ukraine is currently discussing three key documents within the peace initiative together with European partners and the US: a framework document, a security guarantees agreement, and a document outlining postwar recovery principles.
Ukraine and the US have not yet reached an agreement on the territorial issue. Sources report that Washington is trying to persuade Kyiv to make concessions regarding Donbas, but the Ukrainian side rejects these proposals.
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Moscow expects security guarantees for all parties and will not accept Ukraine's NATO membership. Ukrainian and European officials, however, remain skeptical of Russia's willingness to pursue genuine peace.
