European states and Ukraine have responded to the "Russian plan" for a ceasefire with a counter-proposal, which they believe should form the basis for future negotiations between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.
Points of attention
- Ukraine and Europe have presented a counter-proposal to Russia's ceasefire plan, outlining their own negotiation terms.
- The proposal emphasizes a mandatory ceasefire as a prerequisite before any other steps and reciprocity in territory exchange.
- The plan also includes ironclad security guarantees, including potential NATO membership, to support Ukraine's territorial concessions.
Ukraine and Europe have their own plan for negotiations with Russia
The Wall Street Journal learned this from two informed European officials.
The proposal from Kyiv and its allies requires a mandatory ceasefire before any other steps, and any "territory swap" only on a reciprocal basis — that is, if Ukraine withdraws its troops from some regions, Russia must withdraw its troops from others.
"You can't start the process by giving up territory in the midst of hostilities," said one of the publication's interlocutors.
Additionally, this plan stipulates that any territorial concessions by Kyiv must be backed by ironclad security guarantees — in particular, Ukraine's potential membership in NATO.
The goal of the plan, WSJ sources say, is for Europe and Ukraine to establish a common red line that should apply to any potential negotiations with Russia.
This proposal was presented on August 9 at a meeting of national security advisers. On the American side, it was attended by Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and presidential envoys Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg.
European representatives told them that Ukraine's future could not be discussed without Ukraine and that Europe would continue to provide Ukraine with weapons and funds regardless of the US position, one of the sources told the WSJ.
The day before, the US president announced an upcoming meeting with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska on August 15, amid media reports that Washington and Moscow allegedly want to reach an agreement to stop the war in Ukraine, which could consolidate Russia's occupation of some territories.
In response, Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that "the answer to the Ukrainian territorial question is already in the Constitution of Ukraine."
