Kyiv, Ukraine – As Ukrainian president volodymyr Zelensky prepares to meet with a delegation from the Pentagon in Kyiv, reports have surfaced of a U.S. proposal aimed at ending the war with Russia. According to American media outlet Axios, Washington and Moscow secretly developed the plan, which appears to largely favor Kremlin demands, though the Kremlin has declined to comment.
The proposal reportedly revives previously rejected maximalist conditions put forward by Russia, including the “recognition of the annexation of Crimea and other regions taken by Russia,” which currently constitute almost 20% of Ukrainian territory. Moscow has consistently demanded Kyiv cede control of the Donetsk,Luhansk,Kherson,and Zaporizhia regions – territories it attempted to annex in September 2022,despite not fully controlling them – in addition to Crimea,annexed in 2014.
Earlier this year, Turkish-mediated talks saw Russian President Vladimir Putin propose Ukraine withdraw troops from Donetsk and Luhansk in exchange for a frozen front line in Zaporizhia and Kherson. ukraine has consistently refused to recognize the occupied territories as Russian, while acknowledging the potential difficulty of recapturing them militarily. Ceding the heavily fortified eastern territories is seen as a risk, potentially leaving Ukraine vulnerable to future Russian aggression.
The U.S. proposal also reportedly calls for a reduction of the Ukrainian army to 400,000 personnel – less than half its current size - and the relinquishment of all long-range weapons. these stipulations align with prior demands from Moscow, which seeks to limit Ukraine’s military capabilities, halt arms deliveries from allies, and ban mobilization. Russia remains opposed to any NATO presence in Ukraine and Kyiv’s potential membership in the Alliance, while Ukraine seeks security guarantees from the west, including a potential troop presence.
