Negotiations surrounding a potential end to the conflict in Ukraine are intensifying, as Russia has signaled a willingness to discuss a peace proposal initially put forward by the U.S. governance.Moscow’s qualified acceptance, though, hinges on adherence to the principles discussed during previous talks between Presidents Putin and Trump. The evolving plan, currently undergoing revisions coordinated with European and Ukrainian officials, has already drawn criticism from various parties and sparked debate over its perceived biases and feasibility.
Moscow has indicated a positive initial response to a 28-point peace proposal for Ukraine, but warned that any alterations which deviate from the “spirit and content” of discussions between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump will fundamentally change the situation.
Russia is currently awaiting an interim proposal following revisions suggested by European and Ukrainian officials, according to Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Lavrov stated that Moscow expects to receive an updated version of the Ukraine peace plan from Washington, coordinated with European and Ukrainian counterparts.
“We expect that version, which they will consider interim, taking into account the fact that the stages of coordinating this text with Europeans and Ukrainians are coming to an end,” Lavrov said.
Lavrov added that Russia had not received the U.S. plan through official channels. “We have it, but unofficially. It was not officially transmitted to us. However, as the president said, we are ready to discuss specific formulations. Because there are many questions that require clarification,” he explained.
According to the Russian Foreign Minister, the main provisions of the peace plan proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump are based on agreements reached during a meeting between the two presidents in Anchorage. He stated that these principles are reflected in the plan, which Moscow views favorably.
“(Only) if the essence of those fundamental provisions loses the spirit of Anchorage and the words we recorded then, then, of course, it will be a fundamentally different situation,” the Russian diplomat added.
The Kremlin stated Monday that the European response to the 28-point U.S. plan to end the war in Ukraine is unconstructive and unacceptable to Russia.
“Regarding the plans circulating, we learned this morning about the European plan, which at first glance is completely unconstructive and unacceptable to us,” Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told state news agency TASS.
Reports indicate that Kyiv’s European partners presented the plan as a counter-proposal to the 28-point document backed by the Trump administration, which had been criticized for being heavily biased towards Russia.
The European plan softens some of the harsher demands on Kyiv: instead of reducing the army to 600,000 soldiers, it proposes 800,000, and does not require Ukraine to cede territories it does not control to Russia.
The European plan also calls for a ceasefire along the current front line and security guarantees for Ukraine from the U.S., similar to those provided for in Article 5 of NATO.
Ushakov rejected the European proposal but acknowledged that many aspects of the U.S. plan, already discussed at a summit in Alaska, are acceptable to Moscow.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that the 28-point U.S. plan could serve as a basis for further negotiations, but that Russian forces would move forward if Kyiv rejects it.
The U.S. plan has sparked considerable dissatisfaction among European capitals and even U.S. lawmakers, and fueled speculation that it was drafted by Russia. Trump initially pressured Ukraine to sign the plan by November 27, but U.S. officials now suggest that this could be delayed due to ongoing negotiations.
The proposal appears to have been revised following weekend consultations between U.S. and Ukrainian officials in Geneva. According to unnamed sources at The Financial Times, the revised plan has been reduced to 19 points, although it remains unclear which parts have been removed.
Several media outlets have reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy may travel to the U.S. this week to discuss sensitive aspects of the plan directly with Trump.
Ushakov said that “not all, but many of the provisions of the U.S. plan seem quite acceptable to us,” but that some will require further discussion.
