The United States is offering Ukraine security guarantees for 15 years as part of a proposed peace plan, though Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed a preference for a commitment of up to 50 years to deter further Russian aggression. The offer came after a meeting between Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump at Trump’s Florida resort, where Trump stated that Ukraine and Russia are “closer than ever before” to a peace settlement.
Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks Progress, Security Guarantees Key
Negotiators are continuing to seek a breakthrough on critical issues, including the withdrawal of forces and the status of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, one of the world’s ten largest. Trump cautioned that the U.S.-led negotiations remain vulnerable to collapse.
“Without security guarantees, realistically, this war will not end,” Zelenskyy told reporters via WhatsApp.
The conflict between Ukraine and Russia began in 2014 with Russia’s annexation of Crimea and the support of separatists in the Donbas region.
Details of the proposed security guarantees remain undisclosed, but Zelenskyy said they encompass monitoring of a peace deal and the “presence” of partner nations. Russia has stated its opposition to the deployment of NATO troops in Ukraine.
Russia Claims Advances, Seeks Buffer Zones
As negotiations potentially reach a critical point before the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed Russian forces are making gains in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine. He emphasized the need to establish military buffer zones along the Russian border to ensure security.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov indicated that a conversation between Putin and Trump is anticipated, but there are no plans for Putin to speak with Zelenskyy.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced that allies of Ukraine will convene in Paris in early January to “finalise each country’s concrete contributions” to the security guarantees.
Trump indicated he would consider extending the U.S. security guarantees beyond 15 years, pending approval from the U.S. Congress and other involved parliaments.
Zelenskyy proposed that the 20-point peace plan under discussion be ratified by Ukrainian voters in a national referendum, which would require a ceasefire of at least 60 days – a condition Moscow has not yet accepted.
Doubts Remain Over Putin’s Intentions
Ukrainians expressed skepticism about the prospects for peace. A Ukrainian military veteran, known as Sensei, questioned Putin’s trustworthiness, citing his past actions and the heavy losses his unit has sustained, stating almost no one from his company remains alive.
“But all these sacrifices, they are not in vain, because we need to prove … that we exist, that we are, that we have the right to our existence, to our territory, to our culture, to our language,” Sensei told The Associated Press.
Denys Shpylovyi, a 20-year-old student, acknowledged the difficulty Zelenskyy faces given Trump’s acceptance of Putin’s arguments, but expressed gratitude for ongoing dialogue and a potential for future hope.
Oleh Saakian, a Ukrainian political scientist, viewed the development of a relationship between Zelenskyy and Trump as a positive sign, but cautioned that “nothing has been adopted yet, nothing has been signed yet.” He also expressed concern that the negotiations are based on an equivalence between aggressor and victim and disregard international law.
Drone Attack Claimed by Russia
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Ukraine launched an attack on Putin’s residence in the Novgorod region using 91 long-range drones. Zelenskyy dismissed the claim as a “lie” intended to deflect from progress in peace efforts.
Lavrov asserted that all drones were destroyed and no damage or casualties occurred. He added that Russia has identified “the timing and facilities” for a retaliatory strike, without providing further details.
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