Ukraine Prepares New Peace Plan as Zelensky Rules Out Giving Up Land
– Ukraine is formulating a revised peace plan to present to the White House, striving to maintain its territorial integrity amid ongoing conflicts in eastern Ukraine.
– President Volodymyr Zelensky firmly opposed any land concessions to Russia, stating he has no right to cede territory under Ukrainian or international law.
– During a meeting with European and NATO leaders on Monday, Zelensky emphasized the need to deter the U.S. from endorsing deals that might endanger Ukraine’s security.
– Following a Russian drone attack, the city of Sumy faced power outages, with over a dozen drones targeting critical infrastructure; fortunately, no fatalities were reported.
– In the aftermath of exhaustive negotiations over the weekend between U.S. and Ukrainian officials, Zelensky is expected to receive a briefing from his chief negotiator, Rustem Umerov, on the discussions held with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
– Zelensky anticipates submitting a new proposal to the U.S. as early as Tuesday. He reiterated Ukraine’s stance against territorial concessions, saying, Russia insists that we give up territories, but we don’t want to cede anything.
– He highlighted that any changes to national borders must be approved via a public referendum, reinforcing Ukraine’s commitment to sovereignty.
– Zelensky noted that the initial 28-point U.S. plan, previously deemed too advantageous to Russia, has been condensed to 20 points, with no pro-Ukrainian elements removed and no compromises on territory.
– Key issues include control of the Donbas region and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. The original plan suggested handing complete control of Donbas to Russia, despite ongoing resistance from Ukrainian forces.
– Kyiv and European leaders have observed progress in refining the draft and acknowledged the Trump administration’s efforts to mediate the conflict.
– A recent summit in London, featuring Zelensky and leaders from the UK, France, and Germany, underscored a collective commitment to supporting Ukraine and emphasized the importance of a just and lasting peace with security guarantees.
– Future security arrangements remain uncertain, with international military support being a focus, although skepticism exists about deploying troops in Ukraine.
– Zelensky’s diplomatic tour continues as he meets with key European leaders to discuss ongoing military support options.
– Moscow claims that discussions with the White House have been constructive, while President Trump identifies Zelensky as a significant barrier to achieving a peace agreement.
– The evolving situation reflects the delicate balance European leaders must strike between supporting Ukraine and ensuring U.S. involvement.