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The United States and European countries are "slowly moving closer" to a peace proposal for Ukraine that includes security guarantees for Kiev, an economic reconstruction plan, Russia's reintegration into European energy markets, and a ceasefire along the current front line. This is according to Washington Post columnist David Ignatius, citing a U.S. official familiar with the negotiations, who said the goal is to offer both sides economic and strategic advantages in exchange for territorial concessions.
"We need to broaden the problem and the solution to help both sides understand the post-war situation, and then make concessions," the source explained. The plan was discussed last Friday in Florida, during a six-hour meeting organized by US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, with the participation of Ukrainian, British, French, and German representatives.
Negotiations, however, risk being jeopardized by tensions between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky, following the American decision to suspend sanctions on Russian diesel for six months and the threat to end US intelligence support for Kiev.
According to Ignatius, the plan is structured into four points. The first concerns the reconstruction of Ukraine, with the involvement of the World Bank and BlackRock to finance infrastructure restoration, support the families of fallen or wounded soldiers, and revive the economy.
The second involves security guarantees from the United States and European countries, with a commitment to militarily intervene in the event of renewed Russian aggression, according to a mechanism the American official compares to NATO's Article 5. Moscow could also secure agreements with Europe to address its security needs. The third point focuses on economic and energy integration between Russia, Ukraine, and Europe, including through a possible gas or oil pipeline to transport Russian energy to European markets, with profits shared between Kiev and Moscow. The agreement would also define the timing and modalities for lifting sanctions against Russia. The fourth and most controversial point calls for a ceasefire along the current front line, leaving the occupied territories, including part of Donbas, under Russian control.
The main obstacle to the initiative remains the dispute over Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries, which Trump wants to halt as a condition for continuing negotiations. According to the American official, Kushner and Witkoff again asked Kiev to suspend the bombing during their meeting in Florida, warning that otherwise Washington would proceed with the diesel deal. Zelensky opposed this, viewing the attacks as an important negotiating lever. "It's clear that the Ukrainians' ability to target refineries is having an impact on the Russian economy. It has increased Zelensky's negotiating power," observed a European diplomat quoted by the Post. "If Zelensky agrees to halt the attacks on refineries, we will resume our engagement and go to Moscow," the American official explained. Despite the tensions, the European allies intend to continue the diplomatic process, although they have doubts about the Kremlin's willingness to compromise. "Putin doesn't seem to take peace seriously," warned the European diplomat.
The Kremlin, meanwhile, claims to have learned of the existence of a peace plan for Ukraine only from the Washington Post: "We read the news, but we were not informed about it," said spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
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