Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that a central element of President Donald Trump’s peace blueprint — the requirement that Ukraine and the world formally accept Russia’s control over some of the land it seized in the east — is stopping the negotiations cold. Addressing Sweden’s Parliament, he said that one portion of the plan essentially asks Ukraine to sign away part of its sovereign territory.
Zelenskyy emphasized that Russian President Vladimir Putin “wants legal recognition to what he has stolen, to break the principle of territorial integrity and sovereignty,” adding that “that’s the main problem. You all understand what that means.” The Ukrainians’ refusal to bless any territorial carve-outs remains their largest sticking point with the U.S. proposal.
The dispute comes after U.S. and Ukrainian officials spent the weekend in Switzerland examining the full 28-point framework and even explored whether Zelenskyy should head to the U.S. this week as Trump aims — roughly — for a Thanksgiving-time breakthrough. Trump has insisted that the timeline is adjustable, noting that the proposal was “not my final” version.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio — who traveled to Geneva for the talks — painted a cautiously upbeat picture, saying “very, very meaningful” progress was made with both the Ukrainian and European representatives. He described the day as “probably the most productive day we have had on this issue” since Trump returned to the White House in January, while warning that he didn’t want to “declare victory or finality” yet. Negotiators, he said, still have unresolved points to hammer out.
European leaders echoed that mix of optimism and lingering concern. Finland’s President Alexander Stubb said there were still “major issues which remain to be resolved” even as he praised the headway made in Geneva.
According to a Sunday night statement from the White House, American and Ukrainian officials have “drafted an updated and refined peace framework,” though Moscow complained Monday that the new draft had not yet been shared with them. Putin said late last week that the American plan could form the basis for a settlement, but cautioned that if Kyiv rejected it, Russian troops would continue pushing forward.
The blueprint, which U.S. officials say holds Trump’s full support, triggered sharp anxiety among several of Washington’s European partners, who view the document as tilting too far in Russia’s direction.
Ukraine’s ambassador to the U.S., Olga Stefanishyna, underscored that point during an interview on CBS News’ “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” saying her government had not signed on to all portions of the proposal.
{Matzav.com}
