US and Ukraine reach consensus on key issues aimed at ending the war but territorial disputes remain

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The United States and Ukraine have agreed on many critical issues aimed at ending nearly four years of conflict, but sensitive issues regarding territorial control in Ukraine’s eastern industrial hub and management of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant have not yet been resolved, Ukraine’s president said.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy briefed reporters on every aspect of the plan on Tuesday. His comments were embargoed until Wednesday morning. Reflecting Ukraine’s aspirations, the draft proposal intertwines political and commercial interests to preserve security while increasing economic potential.

Asked about the plan, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow would determine its position based on information received by Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev, who met with US envoys. Florida throughout the weekend.

Peskov declined to share further details, saying Moscow believed it was “extremely inappropriate to conduct any communication through the media.”

At the center of the negotiations is a controversial territorial dispute over the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, known as Donbas. Zelenskyy said this was “the most difficult point.” He said these issues would be discussed at the leadership level.

Russia continues to make maximalist demands, insisting that Ukraine give up the remaining territory it has not captured in Donbas; This is an ultimatum that Ukraine rejected. Russia captured most of Luhansk and about 70% of Donetsk.

To facilitate reconciliation, the United States proposed turning these areas into free economic zones. Ukraine insists that any regulation must be tied to a referendum, allowing the Ukrainian people to determine their own fate. Zelenskyy said that Ukraine demands the demilitarization of the region and the presence of an international force to ensure stability.

How to manage the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, the largest power plant in Europe under Russian occupation, is another controversial issue. The United States is proposing a consortium with Ukraine and Russia in which both parties would have equal shares in the venture.

But Zelenskyy countered this with a proposal for a joint venture between the United States and Ukraine, in which the Americans could decide how to distribute their shares, assuming their share would go to Russia.

“We could not reach a consensus with the American side on the territory of the Donetsk region and the ZNPP,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the power plant in Zaporizhzhia. “But we have brought most of the positions significantly closer together. In principle, all other consensus on this agreement has been reached between us and them.”

Free economic zone agreement

Article 14, which covers areas crossing the eastern front line, and Article 12, which discusses the management of the Zaporizhia plant, are likely to be the main sticking points of the negotiations.

Zelenskyy said: “We are in a situation where the Russians want us to leave the Donetsk region, and the Americans are trying to find a way so that there is ‘no way out’ – because we are against leaving – in this they want to find a demilitarized zone or a free economic zone, that is, a format that can accommodate the views of both sides.”

The draft states that the contact line cutting five regions of Ukraine will be frozen after the agreement is signed.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine’s position is that any initiative to create a free economic zone must be approved by referendum, confirming that decision-making power ultimately lies in the hands of the Ukrainian people. He added that this process will take 60 days and that hostilities must stop during this period for the process to take place.

More difficult discussions will involve determining how far troops should be withdrawn under Ukraine’s proposal and where international forces should be deployed. Ultimately, “People can choose whether this ending suits us or not,” Zelenskyy said.

The draft also proposes the withdrawal of Russian forces from the Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Sumy, Kharkiv regions and the deployment of international forces along the line of contact to monitor the implementation of the agreement.

“Since there is no faith left in the Russians and they have not kept their repeated promises, today’s line of contact is turning into a de facto free economic zone line, and international forces must be there to guarantee that no one will enter there under any guise – neither the ‘little green men’ nor the Russian army disguised as civilians,” Zelenskyy said. he said.

Management of the Zaporizhia power plant

Zelenskyy said that Ukraine also proposed that the occupied city of Enerkhodar, connected to the Zaporizhzhia power plant, become a demilitarized free economic zone. He said this point required 15 hours of negotiations with the United States.

For now, the US is proposing that the facility be operated jointly by Ukraine, the US and Russia, with both parties receiving dividends from the operation.

“The US is offering 33% for 33% or 33%, and the Americans are the main manager of this joint venture,” he said. “It’s clear that from Ukraine’s perspective this has been very unsuccessful and not very realistic. After all, how can you have joint trade with the Russians?”

Ukraine presented an alternative proposal that the facility would be operated by a joint venture with the United States and that the Americans could independently determine how to distribute their 50% stake.

Zelenskyy said billions of dollars of investment are needed to restart the facility, including repairing the adjacent dam.

“There were about 15 hours of conversations about the facility. These are all very complex things.”

A separate annex for security guarantees

The document provides for Ukraine to be provided with “strong” security guarantees that mirror NATO’s Article 5, which obliges Ukraine’s partners to take action in the event of renewed Russian aggression.

Zelenskyy said these guarantees would be outlined in a separate bilateral document with the United States. This agreement will detail the conditions under which security will be ensured, especially in the event of a new Russian attack, and establish a mechanism to monitor the ceasefire.

This mechanism will leverage satellite technology and early warning systems to provide effective surveillance and rapid response capabilities.

“The mood of the United States is that this is an unprecedented step towards Ukraine. They believe they are giving strong security guarantees,” he said.

The draft includes other elements, such as keeping Ukraine’s army at 800,000 in peacetime and setting a specific date for joining the European Union.

Elections and stimulating the economy

The document recommends accelerating the free trade agreement between Ukraine and the USA after the agreement is signed. Zelenskyy said the United States wants the same deal as Russia.

Ukraine wants to receive a strong global development package that will cover a wide range of economic interests, including short-term privileged access to the European market and a development fund to invest in technology, data centers and similar industries. artificial intelligenceand also gas.

Also included are funds for the reconstruction of areas destroyed in the war.

“Ukraine will have the opportunity to determine priorities for distributing its share of funds in the regions under Ukrainian control. This is a very important point on which we spent a lot of time,” Zelenskyy said.

The target will be to attract $800 billion through equity capital, grants, loans and private sector contributions.

The draft proposal also envisages holding elections in Ukraine after the agreement is signed. “This is the vision of the partners,” Zelenskyy said.

Ukraine also wants the immediate release of all detainees since 2014 and the return of civilian detainees, political detainees and children to Ukraine.