Have the US and Ukraine Narrowed the Peace Plan from 28 Points to 19?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- The US peace plan has shifted from 28 to 19 points.
- Contentious provisions have been moderated to align more closely with Ukraine's interests.
- Key decisions now rest with Trump and Zelensky.
- The revised draft aims to address long-standing Ukrainian red lines.
- Ongoing discussions signal a commitment to diplomatic resolution.
Washington, Nov 25 (NationPress) A proposed peace plan by the US, initially comprising 28 points to resolve the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, has been condensed into a 19-point framework during discussions held over the weekend in Geneva, as reported by various media outlets.
According to Oleksandr Bevz, a Ukrainian official involved in the Geneva discussions, "Many of the contentious provisions were either moderated or restructured" to align more closely with Ukraine's positions or to ease the demands placed on Ukraine, as cited by The Washington Post.
He noted that the deadline set by US President Donald Trump for achieving consensus on the initial 28-point plan appears to be more flexible than previously indicated, according to Xinhua.
"It's not a code red -- it's more important to finalize the text," Bevz stated.
Ukrainian First Deputy Foreign Minister Sergiy Kyslytsya informed the Financial Times that the new draft looks markedly different from the original 28-point version.
"Very few elements remain from the initial draft," Kyslytsya mentioned.
The revised draft now places the most divisive issues in the hands of Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as reported by multiple news agencies.
The original 28-point plan demanded Ukraine to relinquish territory in eastern Ukraine, downscale its military forces, and renounce NATO membership. This plan thus violated several entrenched Ukrainian red lines, provoking backlash from Ukraine and Europe at large, as per reports.
In Geneva on Sunday, representatives from the US, Ukraine, and various European nations convened as the White House sought to finalize the 28-point plan.
After discussions between the Ukrainian delegation and national security advisors from Britain, France, and Germany, the Ukrainian representatives engaged in bilateral talks with US officials.
Reportedly, the US delegation included Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, and Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll, while Zelensky's office chief Andriy Yermak led the Ukrainian team.
A joint statement issued by the White House on Sunday evening indicated that the negotiations yielded "meaningful progress toward aligning positions."
The Kremlin noted that it had not received any formal updates from Geneva and has no plans for discussions with US officials this week, as per a report by Newsweek.
Trump has established Thursday as a deadline for reaching an agreement with Kiev regarding the framework, while also suggesting that discussions could persist beyond that date if progress is evident.