Emergency Talks in Switzerland Over Controversial US Draft Plan to End Ukraine War

Ukrainian and American officials are set to gather in Switzerland on Sunday for urgent discussions regarding a draft US plan aimed at concluding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which is perceived as advantageous to Moscow. This meeting comes in the wake of Russia's full-scale invasion that began in February 2022. The leaked 28-point draft plan proposes measures that Ukraine had previously dismissed, which includes ceding territories in the eastern Donbas region to Russia and limiting Ukraine's military ambitions, particularly with respect to NATO membership. The plan guarantees Ukraine security assurances but lacks specifics. Washington has given Ukraine a deadline of Thursday to respond to the plan, although Kyiv is pushing for amendments. European and Ukrainian officials have described the proposal as tantamount to capitulation. US President Donald Trump characterized the proposal as potentially negotiable, implying that it is not the final offer and has shown frustration towards both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy concerning the stagnation in peace negotiations. In response to the urgent situation, a hastily organized meeting is scheduled in Geneva to include national security advisers from France, Britain, and Germany alongside EU, American, and Ukrainian officials. Key representatives attending the Geneva meeting will include US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, while Ukraine's delegation will be led by Andriy Yermak, head of Zelenskyy's office, along with senior security personnel. Key provisions of the proposed draft include: 1. Recognition of Crimea, Luhansk, and Donetsk as de facto Russian territories, as acknowledged even by the United States. Despite this, Kyiv maintains partial control over Luhansk and Donetsk, which form the conflict's industrial heartland. 2. Areas from which Ukraine has retreated in Donetsk would be designated as demilitarized zones, with an assurance that Russian troops will not enter. 3. The southern regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia's status, claimed by Russia, will be frozen along the contact line. 4. A significant reduction of the Ukrainian military, scaling down to 600,000 personnel, which represents a substantial decrease from current levels. 5. NATO's commitment not to station troops in Ukraine and barring Ukraine from NATO membership, undermining hopes for a European peacekeeping force. On the diplomatic front, the plan proposes reintegrating Russia into the global economy after nearly four years of sanctions, allowing the country back into the G8, with assurances against future invasions into neighboring nations. However, it sets a condition where sanctions would be re-imposed should Russia engage in further aggression against Ukraine. Additionally, $100 billion in frozen Russian assets would be allocated for the reconstruction of Ukraine. As the situation unfolds, we will continue to provide updates on these significant discussions and their implications for the future of Ukraine and regional stability. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2