- By Shivangi Sharma
- Wed, 24 Dec 2025 04:02 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Ukraine Peace Deal: The United States and Ukraine say they have reached a consensus on several key elements of a proposed peace framework aimed at ending the nearly four-year war with Russia. However, the most sensitive issues, territorial control in Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland and the future of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, remain unresolved, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said.
Describing the proposal as “the main framework for ending the war,” Zelenskyy said the plan includes security guarantees from the US, NATO and European partners, along with a coordinated military response if Russia invades Ukraine again. The 20-point plan was finalised after marathon talks between US and Ukrainian officials in Florida and has been shared with Russian negotiators. A response from Moscow is expected on Wednesday.
Moscow’s Cautious Response
The Kremlin confirmed that President Vladimir Putin had been briefed by special envoy Kirill Dmitriev following his visit to the United States and said Russia would now formulate its position. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the content of the proposals, stressing that Moscow would not negotiate through the media.
The revised 20-point document updates an earlier 28-point draft negotiated by US envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian officials. That earlier version was widely criticised for aligning closely with Kremlin demands, prompting Kyiv to push back on several contentious clauses during the latest talks.
Territory Emerges As Core Dispute
The biggest stumbling block remains Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region. Russia insists Ukraine withdraw from nearly a quarter of the Donetsk region still under Kyiv’s control, while the rest is already occupied by Russian forces. Zelenskyy reiterated that Ukraine rejects territorial withdrawal but said US negotiators are exploring alternatives, including a demilitarised buffer zone or a “free economic zone.”
“There are two options: either the war continues, or something will have to be decided regarding potential economic zones,” Zelenskyy said. He added that any arrangement must also address the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and require Russian troop withdrawals from regions such as Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Sumy and Kharkiv.
Security Guarantees Still Vague
While the draft reaffirms Ukraine’s sovereignty and proposes a comprehensive non-aggression pact involving Russia, Ukraine and Europe, it lacks detail on how security guarantees would be enforced. Crucially, it falls short of NATO-style collective defence commitments, something Kyiv sees as essential to any lasting peace.
Military Limits And Political Red Lines
Among the most controversial proposals are limits on Ukraine’s armed forces to 600,000 personnel and the potential handover of unoccupied Ukrainian territory. Such measures would affect strategically vital cities like Slovyansk and Kramatorsk and are widely viewed as unacceptable in Ukraine, both politically and militarily.