The updated peace proposal presented by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has sparked heated discussions in Moscow. According to Bloomberg, the Kremlin sees the 20-point document as a basis for negotiations but has stated that it will not accept it in its current form and desires major amendments.
Moscow's primary demands: Neutrality and military restrictions
Sources close to the Russian leadership indicate that the proposed plan does not address several key questions fundamental to Moscow. Specifically, the Kremlin aims to reinforce the following conditions:
- NATO and neutral status: Russia demands guarantees that Ukraine will remain entirely neutral, not just without nuclear weapons but also in all other respects (even in the event of European Union membership), and that NATO will cease any eastward expansion.
- Military size: Zelensky's plan proposes limiting the Ukrainian Armed Forces to 800,000 troops during peacetime. Moscow considers this provision excessively "lenient" and wants the number reduced further.
- Social and economic issues: Clarity is required regarding the legal status of the Russian language, lifting of sanctions, and returning frozen Russian assets.
Territorial issue: The "conflict line" challenge
According to Zelensky's plan, resolving territorial issues requires a complex formula to end the war:
- Withdrawal of troops: Russia must withdraw from the Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Sumy, and Kharkiv regions.
- Freezing: The front lines in Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions would remain in their current positions ("where we are now, we stay").
- Security: An agreement would be signed under international monitoring to ensure no further attacks.
In response, Moscow is demanding the complete withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the Donetsk region. The United States, on the other hand, has proposed creating a "free economic zone" and resolving the matter through a national referendum.
The Trump factor: Why didn’t Russia completely reject the plan?
Although the proposals are not favorable to Moscow, the Kremlin is cautious about jeopardizing relations with the new U.S. President Donald Trump.
As a result, the Russian side is prepared to examine the proposals "with cool-headedness" and continue discussions by introducing its own terms. The security guarantees proposed by Zelensky, modeled after Article 5 of the NATO Charter, remain the most contentious issue.
Do you think it is possible to achieve a peace agreement based on this plan by 2026?
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