The next concept of peace, developed by the administration of US President Donald Trump to end the Russo-Ukrainian war, was simultaneously covered by several influential publications. Axios, citing sources from Reuters, the Financial Times, and The Economist, reported that the new project proposed by Washington includes serious concessions, such as the transfer of a large part of the Donetsk region to Russia, the practical recognition of Crimea and Donbas as Russian territory, as well as the freezing of the front line in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. This can be considered a "big concession" by Ukraine and its allies.
Sources indicate that the New Washington Plan consists of a total of 28 points, including the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Donetsk and the creation of a demilitarized zone for both sides. In parallel, Russia will also lose the right to deploy troops in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
At the same time, the front in the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, which Russia partially occupied, but could not fully control, "froze" in place. A clear mechanism for determining which part of these territories can be returned to Ukraine through future negotiations has not yet been established.
One of the most controversial aspects of the plan is that the US and a number of European countries officially recognize Crimea and Donbas as Russian territory, but Ukraine will not be forced to do so. Kyiv's capabilities to use long-range missile strikes will also be limited, and the number of Ukrainian troops will be reduced by two to two and a half times.
Financial Times sources added that Kyiv may also face requirements such as granting official status to the Russian language and granting a separate legal status to the Russian Orthodox Church. The plan also strictly prohibits the deployment of foreign troops on Ukrainian territory.
The US, in exchange for these concessions, proposes to provide security guarantees to Ukraine in the event of another Russian military invasion. However, it is not yet known how these guarantees will work.
Ukraine - the only side that didn't like the plan
Although the Trump administration sees this proposal as a "realistic roadmap," Kyiv does not openly agree to it. According to Axios, President Zelenskyy canceled the Ankara meeting, where a meeting was supposed to be held to discuss the plan. Ukrainian sources say that Kyiv wanted to discuss this plan in a broader format with the participation of European countries.
There are also versions that the Ukrainian side links the suspension of negotiations to a corruption scandal in the country's energy sector.
Reuters sources emphasize that Washington supports making Kyiv agree to key points in the plan. US officials believe that if the war continues, Ukraine will lose Donbass anyway, so concluding an agreement now is in Kyiv's best interest.
Europe - unreliable, Russia - content
A number of European officials strongly doubt this initiative. According to Bloomberg correspondent Alex Wickham, European countries are concerned that the US and Russia are "trying to find a way" with each other, while Europe, which has been left out of such a process, is moving away from the game. It is said that the European side also expresses the opinion that Russia is using these negotiations to reduce sanctions pressure.
At the same time, the Kremlin announced its readiness to continue negotiations after the initiative appeared in the press. According to Dmitry Peskov, "Moscow is not avoiding dialogue, the break occurred due to Kyiv's unwillingness to negotiate."
Turkey's role and Zelenskyy's reaction
Zelenskyy thanked Ankara for facilitating the meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and emphasized that "Turkey is providing the necessary diplomatic platform." According to him, Ukraine supports every initiative of President Trump to end the war on firm and fair terms.
At the same time, Zelenskyy expressed his readiness to work in any format possible for a "reliable and dignified end" to the war.
In conclusion, Washington's new plan is further heating up the diplomatic space around Ukraine. On the one hand - demands close to Russia, on the other - strong resistance from Kyiv. Europe, however, is watching cautiously as the countries play a "big game" with each other. Under these circumstances, it is still unclear whether this plan will pave the way for true peace or become the next political stage.
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