The United States has signaled to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that Kiev should consider a U.S.-drafted peace framework aimed at ending the war with Russia, according to a Reuters report. The plan includes, among other things, the relinquishment of some Ukrainian territory and the surrender or reduction of certain categories of weapons.
Two sources close to the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the talks, said the proposals also include a significant reduction in Ukraine's armed forces. Washington wants Kiev to accept the main points of the plan, they said.
Such an agreement would pose a major challenge for the Ukrainian leadership, at a time when Russia continues to make territorial gains in the east of the country, while Zelenskiy is facing internal political tensions and a corruption scandal, where the parliament dismissed the ministers of energy and justice.
A senior Ukrainian official had previously told Reuters that Kiev had received "signals" about some US proposals that Washington had discussed with Moscow, stressing that Ukraine had not been involved in their drafting.
President Zelenskiy held meetings in Turkey on Wednesday with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and is expected to meet with U.S. military officials in Kiev on Thursday. News of a new U.S.-led diplomatic effort has had an immediate impact on financial markets, triggering the biggest rise in Ukrainian bond prices in months.
Meanwhile, there have been no direct talks between Kiev and Moscow since July, when a meeting was held in Istanbul. Russian forces have intensified military operations, killing 25 people in air strikes overnight.
International efforts to restart peace talks appear to be gaining momentum, but Russia has shown no sign of changing its demands. Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to insist that Ukraine abandon its aspirations to join NATO and withdraw troops from four provinces that Moscow considers part of its territory.
Ukraine has stated that it will not accept any of these demands, leaving it unclear whether the plan proposed by the US can lead to a real peace process.
