Ukraine's President Confirms Receipt of US Peace Plan Draft

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was given a draft of a suggested new peace initiative by the United States, according to a statement...

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was given a draft of a suggested new peace initiative by the United States, according to a statement from his office on Thursday, which referred to it as the "assessment from the American side" that might "revive diplomatic efforts."

The office also mentioned that Zelenskyy intends to explore diplomatic possibilities with Donald Trump in the near future.

"The parties committed to developing the plan's clauses in a manner that would lead to a fair conclusion of the conflict," Kyiv stated.

From the start of this year, Ukraine has backed President Trump's initiatives intended to halt the violence. We remain willing, as we have always been, to engage constructively with the United States, along with our European and global partners, to achieve a peaceful resolution.

Zelenskyy also verified that the strategy was reviewed during a meeting with U.S. Army Secretary Daniel P. Driscoll in Kyiv earlier on Thursday.

Without disclosing specifics of the US plan, Zelenskyy mentioned that both parties discussed "ways to attain genuine peace" and structures for communication between the US and Ukraine, along with "fresh momentum for diplomatic efforts."

"Our groups - from Ukraine and the United States - will focus on the details of the plan to conclude the conflict," Zelenskyy stated in a message on X.

We are prepared for productive, truthful, and prompt collaboration.

What is included in the plan?

No details regarding the contents of the latest peace plan have been disclosed by either Kyiv or Washington.

As per multiple media sources, the proposal mirrors many of Russia's extreme demands that have been consistently emphasized by Moscow since the beginning of its large-scale invasion, and are frequently cited as justifications for the conflict's initiation.

American media reported that the proposal involves urging Kyiv to relinquish territories in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine that it currently holds, greatly reduce the scale of its military forces, and hand over numerous of its weapons.

It is thought that the proposal was prepared by Russia's special representative, Kirill Dmitriev, who then handed it over to US President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and would involve Kyiv making the greatest compromises.

Dmitriev traveled to the United States in October to engage in discussions with Washington authorities, following the cancellation of a planned meeting between Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin.

Dimitriev is said to have met Witkoff in Miami during late October for three days of discussions.

White House claims the US developed a strategy 'in secret'

Zelenskyy's statement follows reports of a "hidden" peace proposal discussed between the United States and Russia, which excluded Ukraine and its European partners.

White House press spokesperson Karoline Leavitt verified on Thursday night that the strategy had been under development.

"Special envoy Steve Witkoff and (US Secretary of State) Marco Rubio have been developing a strategy in secret for approximately the past month," she said to reporters.

They have been interacting with both parties, Russia and Ukraine, on an equal basis, to gain insight into what these nations are willing to commit to achieve a long-term and stable peace.

Leavitt mentioned that discussions are ongoing, but she refused to "go into the specifics" of the proposal.

It's a beneficial strategy for both Russia and Ukraine, and we are confident it can be agreed upon by both parties. We are putting in significant effort to make it happen.

U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, Julie S. Davis, stated on Thursday that "momentum is finally in favor of peace — the peace that Ukrainians have been longing for."