There are notable discrepancies between Washington and Kyiv concerning the terms of a peace agreement with Russia. The main issues revolve around security guarantees for Ukraine and the US stance on Crimea.
Source: CNN, citing information from sources close to the Ukrainian government.
According to the source, the USA and Ukraine have fundamentally opposing views on key elements of the upcoming peace agreement.
Ukraine demands security guarantees not only from European nations but also from the USA, while the initial US proposal suggested that major guarantees would come from Europe.
Furthermore, the acknowledgment of Russia's control over Crimea is completely unacceptable for Ukraine.
Kyiv also insists on discussing the issue of territories occupied by Russia following a ceasefire.
The counterproposal from Ukraine, which was also supported by France, the United Kingdom, and Germany, was presented to Donald Trump's representative, Keith Kellogg. It calls for an unconditional ceasefire as a priority.
In literal terms: "At the same time, Ukraine generally agreed to several provisions of the initial US plan, including gradual easing of sanctions against Russia after the implementation of the peace plan and Ukraine's refusal to join NATO."
Although discrepancies remain, Ukrainian officials noted that the steps taken by Ukraine to effectively participate in negotiations are substantial.
"The fact that Ukraine is willing to discuss territories is a huge step. But if Trump doesn't see this as a significant concession, that's a problem," the source stated.
Background:
- President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on April 25 that Ukraine needs strong security guarantees from the USA similar to those provided to Israel.
- Earlier, it was reported that the Trump administration presented Ukraine with a one-page document classified as a "final proposal" for peace settlement, including recognition of Russia's control over Crimea.
- President Zelensky noted that the USA had proposed its strategy regarding Ukraine's territories during negotiations in London, but stated that after the US proposal, "another paper emerged."
