The United States has presented its allies with proposals for a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine, including a description of the conditions for a cessation of hostilities and the easing of sanctions against Moscow in the event of a lasting ceasefire.
Points of attention
- The US has presented a detailed plan for a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine, aiming at a de facto freeze of the war.
- The proposal includes conditions for a lasting ceasefire and potential easing of sanctions against Moscow.
- If accepted, the plan could leave Ukraine's occupied territories under Russian control and impact its aspirations to join NATO.
The US proposes a de facto freeze on Russia's war against Ukraine
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on April 18 that the Trump administration was prepared to abandon its peace efforts if progress was not made quickly. However, US Vice President J.D. Vance said in Rome that he was “optimistic” about the chances of ending the war.
The outlines of the US plan were unveiled during a meeting in Paris on April 17, according to European officials familiar with the matter.
This proposal would effectively freeze the war, and the Ukrainian territories currently occupied by Russia would remain under Moscow's control. Kyiv's aspirations to join NATO would also not be considered.
One of the officials, who spoke to Bloomberg on condition of anonymity, said the plans would not be a "final settlement," and Ukraine's European allies would not recognize its occupied territories as Russian.
The officials also stressed that the talks would be fruitless unless Russia agreed to cease hostilities, and stressed the importance of providing Ukraine with security guarantees to secure any agreement.
The publication's sources declined to provide additional details, citing the confidential nature of the discussions.
The Paris talks included a meeting between French President Emmanuel Macron and U.S. Representative Steve Witkoff, as well as discussions between Rubio and national security advisers and negotiators from France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine.
Bloomberg previously reported that U.S. officials want to secure a full ceasefire within weeks. The allies will meet again in London next week to continue discussions.
