US Peace Plan: EU Rejects, Ukraine Open, Moscow Continues Military Operations with Readiness to Negotiate

The announcement of the US Peace Plan to resolve the conflict in Ukraine has prompted mixed reactions across the European Union, with European officials describing the plan as “unrealistic and unfeasible.”

Politico reported that a senior European official expressed astonishment at the plan, noting that the US President does not have the authority to unfreeze Russian assets in Europe.

Brussels: Disagreements on Utilizing Russian Assets

Another European official expressed dissatisfaction with the way the plan was presented, while a different politician suggested that Witkoff “needs psychological evaluation,” according to the same source. Handelsblatt noted that some provisions of the US plan may conflict with EU strategies for using frozen Russian assets to provide financial aid to Ukraine.

US Plan Proposals and Implications

The proposed US plan contains 28 points covering peace, guarantees for Ukraine, security in Europe, and future relations with the United States.

It also calls for ceding Donbas territories to Russia in exchange for security guarantees from Washington, freezing the contact lines in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, officially recognizing Crimea and Donbas as Russian territories, reducing US military aid, preventing foreign troop deployments in Ukraine, and lifting sanctions on Russia.

Moscow: Trump Administration Seeks Lasting Solution

In a related context, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov stated that the Trump administration is seeking a permanent resolution to the Ukrainian conflict, noting that the US does not rule out discussing issues such as NATO’s non-expansion eastward and the rights of Russian speakers in Ukraine.

Ryabkov also commented on potential upcoming meetings between Presidents Putin and Trump: “The possibility of new communication between the leaders is on the agenda, and nothing can be excluded.”

Zelensky Open to Plan

In Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Saturday the issuance of a decree to form a negotiation delegation to review the US settlement plan, led by his Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak.

Chairman of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Amirov noted that the talks will take place in Switzerland, while Zelensky held a phone call with leaders from the UK, Germany, and France, maintaining Kyiv’s openness to the US plan without outright rejection, according to Reuters.

Putin: Prepared to Continue Military Operations if Necessary

President Vladimir Putin stated that the US initiative could form a basis for a final settlement, emphasizing Moscow’s readiness to negotiate while continuing military operations in Ukraine to achieve the objectives of the military operation if a negotiated settlement is not possible.

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