MOSCOW — Russia is currently reviewing a new 20-point peace plan agreed by US and Ukrainian negotiators, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reveals Kyiv scored some key wins, though major questions remain over territory and Moscow's acceptance. 🤞
The draft was delivered to Moscow this week by US special envoy Kirill Dmitriev, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday. But Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Maria Zakharova dismissed media reports that Moscow is set to adjust the plan, calling them a fake and saying Bloomberg lacks reliable sources close to the Kremlin.
On Kyiv's side, Zelenskyy shared highlights in a two-hour briefing, celebrating the removal of immediate demands for Ukraine to pull out of Donetsk or accept Moscow's land grabs as permanent. He also noted the plan drops requirements for Kyiv to renounce its NATO membership bid.
Spotlight on demilitarized zones
Zelenskyy explained the proposal recognizes the current front line in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions as the de facto contact line. A working group would decide troop redeployments and potential special economic zones—an idea that could bridge hardliners on both sides. 🛡️
"We're in a situation where the Russians want us to withdraw from the Donetsk region, while the Americans are trying to find a way," Zelenskyy said. "A demilitarized or free economic zone could satisfy both sides."
War still raging
US President Trump is leading the push to end this four-year conflict, triggered by Russia's 2022 offensive. Tens of thousands have died, cities in eastern Ukraine lie in ruins, and millions remain displaced. Russian troops continue nightly strikes on cities and energy infrastructure, and Moscow's defense ministry says it recently captured another settlement in Zaporizhzhia.
Despite these efforts, President Vladimir Putin shows no sign of softening his stance, demanding sweeping Ukrainian withdrawals and political concessions Kyiv and its allies view as capitulation.
The coming days will reveal if Moscow approves the US-Ukraine blueprint or if talks face another stalemate on the battlefield of diplomacy. 🌍
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Moscow reviews new 20-point peace plan agreed by US and Ukraine
cgtn.com
