Conversations involving Washington, Moscow, and Kyiv have continued since Trump’s proposed plan to end the conflict came to light in November.
Discussions involving Washington, Moscow, and Kyiv have continued apace since U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled his proposed peace plan in November to bring the war between Russia and Ukraine to a close.
Meetings in Florida, Geneva, and Moscow have taken place as the parties try to thrash out acceptable terms for a cessation of hostilities that has raged since 2022.
Here’s what we know about where the talks stand so far.
The Original Plan
The original plan was drafted by the U.S. special envoy for peace missions, Steve Witkoff, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who have been working on it quietly for the past month, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told a Nov. 20 news briefing.
It had 28 points covering an array of topics, including territory, the military, future international relations, post-war reconstruction funding, and internal politics, according to The Associated Press.
The first three points confirm Ukraine’s sovereignty, a comprehensive non-aggression agreement to be concluded between Russia, Ukraine, and Europe, the expectation that Russia will not invade its neighbors, and an end to NATO expansion.
Parts of the plan included provisions for Ukraine to cede the regions of Crimea, Luhansk, and Donetsk to Russia, and for Kherson and Zaporizhzhia to be frozen along the line of contact, effectively granting de facto recognition.
It also included a provision that Ukraine would enshrine in its constitution a commitment not to join NATO, and that the alliance would add a statute barring Ukraine from future membership. Kyiv would still have the opportunity to join the European Union, should it meet the entry requirements.
Both points run counter to the previously stated aims of Ukraine and several NATO member states. The plan would also cap the size of Ukraine’s armed forces at 600,000 and allow Russia to rejoin the G8.
By Guy Birchall
