US and Europe preparing peace plan for Ukraine: WP outlines 4 key points
Photo: What a peace plan for Ukraine could look like (Getty Images)
The US and Europe are working on a joint plan to end the war, according to a column in The Washington Post.
American negotiators are trying to put together a package that addresses the postwar needs of both Ukraine and Russia. It is intended to stop the bloodshed and help both sides agree to a territorial compromise that neither will like.
"We need to make the problem and the solution bigger to help both sides see what the postwar situation would be — and then make concessions," a US official familiar with the negotiations explained.
This diplomatic push came during a six-hour meeting in Florida on Friday. It was organized by US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff.
Ukrainian officials and representatives of the UK, France, and Germany attended. The meeting took place at Shell Bay, Witkoff's golf club in Hallandale Beach.
What Trump demands from Ukraine
Trump wants Ukraine and Russia to stop bombing each other's oil refineries. Under his plan, this is supposed to become a condition for the US peace initiative.
"Clearly, the Ukrainians’ ability to strike refineries is having impact on Russia’s economy. It has increased Zelensky’s leverage," a European diplomat said.
At the meeting, Kushner and Witkoff asked the Ukrainians to stop such strikes, according to a US official familiar with the negotiations. The negotiators also warned that Trump would strike a deal on diesel. They have made this request to Kyiv six times in recent months because diesel prices have risen sharply.
Then, according to the official, events unfolded as follows: Zelenskyy refused, and Trump struck a deal. Ukraine's president called the decision "weak." Trump then threatened to cut off intelligence support.
"We’re back in, and we go to Moscow," a US official said, describing a scenario in which Zelenskyy agrees to stop attacks on oil refineries.
What the plan will consist of
According to the US official, the package will have four main components. The message to Russian leader Vladimir Putin should be this: do not simply stop the war with Ukraine, but conclude an economic and security agreement with Europe. The idea is that this would restore stability in the region.
Ukraine's reconstruction. The World Bank and investment firm BlackRock want to establish a framework to cover Kyiv's financial needs. This includes rebuilding destroyed areas, assisting the families of fallen and wounded military personnel, and restoring the economy.
The negotiators asked Kyiv to provide a detailed cost estimate and guarantees that the money would not be plundered by postwar speculators. The Ukrainians have not yet submitted the figures. They are expected to do so within the next few days, provided the peace initiative does not collapse.
Security guarantees. Ukraine will receive commitments from the US and European countries to respond militarily if Russia attacks again. The official described this as equivalent to Article 5 of NATO, which establishes collective defense: an attack on one alliance member is considered an attack on all.
Russia will also negotiate agreements with Europe that take its security concerns into account. What this would mean in practice remains unclear.
Energy agreement. The third area is the economic integration of Russia, Ukraine, and Europe. One possible element is a pipeline supplying Russian oil and gas to Europe. Ukraine and Russia would share the profits from it. According to the official, such a pipeline could sharply reduce Europe's energy costs.
In addition to granting Russia "long-term access to the European energy market," the peace agreement would determine how and when the existing economic sanctions would be lifted.
Territory. The final part of the agreement concerns the front line. Russia, which launched the war hoping to seize all of Ukraine, would agree to a ceasefire along the current front line. The negotiators call it the "line of control."
For Ukraine, this would mean that Russia would control the occupied territories, including Donbas, which is at the center of a fierce dispute. One obstacle is that the "line of control" is not clearly defined because the front line shifts almost daily.
European leaders were angered by Trump's diesel deal. However, according to the columnist, they are prepared to continue the diplomatic process led by Kushner and Witkoff.
"It’s a moment to take heat out of the situation and get back to work," a European diplomat explained.
At the meeting, the Americans said that the US was already doing a lot for Ukraine and would not trade this for a halt to its strikes on oil refineries.
According to The New York Times, Witkoff and Kushner later postponed their trip to Russia until Zelenskyy mends relations with Trump.
We also reported that Russia continues to strike Ukraine's energy infrastructure despite discussions about a ceasefire.
The Institute for the Study of War believes that a moratorium on strikes against oil refineries would benefit Russia more, since it has dozens of such facilities, while Ukraine has only one operating refinery.
