Guarantees and territories: the 20 points of the US-Kiev plan
Donbass and Zaporizhzhia among the issues to be resolved between Trump and ZelenskyAfter new talks with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Volodymyr Zelensky spoke of "good ideas that can contribute to peace," while there is anticipation for the meeting with Donald Trump, which, according to Axios, will take place on Sunday at Mar-a-Lago. It is unclear whether the talks served to dispel doubts over Donetsk and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, on which the Ukrainian president had reported on Wednesday that there was no consensus between Kiev and Washington. At that time, the Ukrainian leader revealed details of the latest known plan to end the war.
Here are the twenty points of the plan.
1. Ukraine is a sovereign state and all signatories to the agreement confirm this with their signatures.
2. This document constitutes a comprehensive and unconditional non-aggression agreement between Russia and Ukraine. To sustain long-term peace, a mechanism will be established to monitor the line of contact through unmanned space monitoring, ensuring timely notification of violations.
3. Ukraine will receive robust security guarantees.
4. The Ukrainian Armed Forces will remain at 800,000 men in peacetime.
5. The United States, NATO, and the European signatory states will provide Ukraine with security guarantees that reflect Article 5.
6. Russia will formalize a policy of non-aggression towards Europe and Ukraine in all necessary laws and in all documents required in the ratification documents.
7. Ukraine will become a member of the EU within a specifically defined period of time and will enjoy short-term privileged access to the European market.
8. A robust development package is envisaged for Ukraine, to be defined in a separate agreement on investment and future prosperity.
9. Several funds will be established for the recovery of the Ukrainian economy, the reconstruction of damaged areas and regions, and humanitarian issues.
10. Ukraine will accelerate the process of concluding a free trade agreement with the United States.
11. Ukraine confirms that it will remain a non-nuclear state.
12. The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant will be jointly operated by three countries: Ukraine, the United States, and Russia (Ukraine, however, would like to have joint operation with the Americans, excluding Russia).
13. Both countries commit to implementing educational programs in schools and throughout society that promote understanding and tolerance of different cultures and eliminate racism and prejudice. Ukraine will implement European Union standards on religious tolerance and the protection of minority languages.
14. In the regions of Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhia, and Kherson, the line of troop deployment as of the date of this agreement is de facto recognized as the line of contact. Russia must withdraw its troops from the regions of Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Sumy, and Kharkiv for this agreement to enter into force. International forces will be deployed along the line of contact to monitor compliance with the agreement (as Zelensky explained, Moscow wants Ukraine to give up Donetsk, while the US is offering a compromise: a free economic zone. For Kiev, the latter can only be adopted with special parliamentary approval or a referendum).
15. After reaching agreements on territories, both the Russian Federation and Ukraine undertake not to change these agreements by force.
16. Russia will not prevent Ukraine from using the Dnipro River and the Black Sea for commercial purposes.
17. A humanitarian committee will be established to resolve outstanding issues: all remaining prisoners of war will be exchanged on an all-for-all basis; all detained civilians and hostages, including children, will be returned.
18. Ukraine must hold elections as soon as possible after signing the agreement.
19. This agreement is legally binding. Its implementation will be monitored and ensured by a Peace Council chaired by Trump. Ukraine, Europe, NATO, Russia, and the United States will participate in this mechanism. Violations will result in sanctions.
20. Once all parties have agreed to this agreement, a comprehensive ceasefire will come into effect immediately.
(Unioneonline)