US Peace Plan Sparks Outrage Among European Allies, Ukrainians Reject US Draft
In a surprise move, European countries have proposed a radically different Ukraine peace plan that omits some of the contentious provisions made in the US-backed document. The 28-point proposal calls for Kyiv's sovereignty to be respected and limits military intervention in favor of international supervision.
The counter-proposal was unveiled as US, Ukrainian, and international negotiators met in Switzerland. The US draft, leaked last week, demands Ukraine hand over territory to Russia, limit its army size, and refrain from pursuing the Kremlin for alleged war crimes. However, European leaders have expressed strong reservations about the plan, saying it undermines Ukraine's sovereignty and sets conditions for EU accession.
The European alternative suggests negotiations over territory should take place after a ceasefire is agreed upon, starting from the existing frontline. The plan also proposes Russia hand over control of the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station to the International Atomic Energy Agency, with power split 50-50 between Moscow and Kyiv. Ukraine's army would be capped at 800,000 soldiers during peacetime.
In a significant departure from US demands, the European counter-proposal does not require Ukraine to withdraw from cities it controls in eastern Donbas. The plan also leaves room for discussion on Ukraine's potential NATO membership, with no consensus yet reached.
Poland's president, Donald Tusk, expressed concerns about the original US plan, stating that it needed "additional work." The European counter-proposal is likely to be welcomed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has faced intense pressure from Washington to accept the US demands.
Ukrainians overwhelmingly rejected the Trump document and are more likely to support the European proposal. Olexiy Haran, a professor of comparative politics at the Kyiv Mohyla academy, said Ukrainians would back "freezing the frontline" as a difficult but necessary compromise. However, he emphasized that there is no support for giving land to Russia.
The US peace plan has sparked significant outrage among European officials and has raised concerns about setting a global precedent if accepted. The proposal's unclear authorship, with some speculating it may have been written in Russian before being translated into English, adds to the controversy.
As negotiations continue, US President Donald Trump has expressed frustration over Ukraine's lack of gratitude for US efforts to end the conflict. However, he has since rowed back from his earlier demands and left the door open for significant changes to the plan.
In a surprise move, European countries have proposed a radically different Ukraine peace plan that omits some of the contentious provisions made in the US-backed document. The 28-point proposal calls for Kyiv's sovereignty to be respected and limits military intervention in favor of international supervision.
The counter-proposal was unveiled as US, Ukrainian, and international negotiators met in Switzerland. The US draft, leaked last week, demands Ukraine hand over territory to Russia, limit its army size, and refrain from pursuing the Kremlin for alleged war crimes. However, European leaders have expressed strong reservations about the plan, saying it undermines Ukraine's sovereignty and sets conditions for EU accession.
The European alternative suggests negotiations over territory should take place after a ceasefire is agreed upon, starting from the existing frontline. The plan also proposes Russia hand over control of the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station to the International Atomic Energy Agency, with power split 50-50 between Moscow and Kyiv. Ukraine's army would be capped at 800,000 soldiers during peacetime.
In a significant departure from US demands, the European counter-proposal does not require Ukraine to withdraw from cities it controls in eastern Donbas. The plan also leaves room for discussion on Ukraine's potential NATO membership, with no consensus yet reached.
Poland's president, Donald Tusk, expressed concerns about the original US plan, stating that it needed "additional work." The European counter-proposal is likely to be welcomed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has faced intense pressure from Washington to accept the US demands.
Ukrainians overwhelmingly rejected the Trump document and are more likely to support the European proposal. Olexiy Haran, a professor of comparative politics at the Kyiv Mohyla academy, said Ukrainians would back "freezing the frontline" as a difficult but necessary compromise. However, he emphasized that there is no support for giving land to Russia.
The US peace plan has sparked significant outrage among European officials and has raised concerns about setting a global precedent if accepted. The proposal's unclear authorship, with some speculating it may have been written in Russian before being translated into English, adds to the controversy.
As negotiations continue, US President Donald Trump has expressed frustration over Ukraine's lack of gratitude for US efforts to end the conflict. However, he has since rowed back from his earlier demands and left the door open for significant changes to the plan.