Ukraine Peace: Trump’s Deal Key, Kyiv Signals Hope

Kyiv has stated that a meeting between the Ukrainian and Russian leaders is necessary to resolve the most challenging issues in peace negotiations, and that former U.S. President Donald Trump is uniquely positioned to facilitate an agreement.

Ukraine Seeks Accelerated Peace Talks

Ukraine aims to expedite efforts to end the four-year-old war and capitalize on the momentum from U.S.-brokered talks before factors like the upcoming U.S. Congressional mid-term elections in November influence the process, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said.

“Only Trump can stop the war,” Sybiha told Reuters in Kyiv.

According to Sybiha, only a “few” items remain unresolved from a 20-point peace plan, representing “the most sensitive and most difficult” issues requiring discussion at the leadership level.

Significant disagreements persist regarding territory. Russia continues to demand that Ukraine cede the remaining 20% of the Donetsk region it has not occupied, a demand Kyiv consistently rejects. Ukraine also seeks control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, currently under Russian occupation.

A second round of trilateral peace talks in Abu Dhabi this week did not yield a breakthrough, although 314 prisoners of war were exchanged on Thursday – the first such exchange since October.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that the U.S. has proposed a new round of talks in Miami within a week, which Kyiv has accepted.

“My assessment is we have momentum, that’s true,” said Sybiha, who has been in his post since 2024. “We need consolidation or mobilisation of these peace efforts, and we’re ready to speed up.”

Russia currently occupies nearly a fifth of Ukraine’s territory, including Crimea and parts of eastern Ukraine, and has targeted the country’s electricity and heating infrastructure with bombing campaigns. Analysts estimate Russia has gained approximately 1.3% of Ukrainian territory since early 2023.

Zelensky stated that Washington hopes to end the war before the summer, and Ukraine has proposed a sequencing plan, though details were not provided.

Sources indicated that Ukrainian and U.S. officials have discussed a timetable including a draft deal with Russia by March and a referendum in Ukraine alongside elections in May.

Ukraine is prioritizing the acquisition of Western security guarantees to deter future Russian aggression following a ceasefire.

The U.S. has reportedly assured Ukraine it is prepared to ratify security guarantees in Congress, providing a security “backstop” for the peace deal, but without deploying troops to Ukraine.

“I personally do not believe, at this stage, in any security infrastructure or architecture without the Americans … We must have them with us – and they are in the process. That’s a huge, huge achievement,” Sybiha said.

A coalition of allies agreed last month to participate in a proposed U.S.-led ceasefire monitoring and verification mechanism, likely involving drones, sensors, and satellites, not U.S. troops.

Sybiha stated that some countries beyond Britain and France have confirmed their willingness to send troops to Ukraine as a deterrent force, but declined to name them. He also suggested a mechanism similar to NATO’s Article Five, classifying an attack on one member as an attack on all.

Ukraine’s proposed membership in the European Union is also seen as an additional security measure.

Zelensky expressed concerns about bilateral talks between Russia and the U.S., including a Russian proposal for $12 trillion in investments. Sybiha said any such discussions that could affect Ukraine’s sovereignty or security would not be supported by Kyiv.

He also affirmed that any recognition of Russian sovereignty over Crimea or the Donbas region would be “legally void” and a violation of international law, stating, “This was not about Ukraine. It’s about principle.”