Ukraine confirmed that it received a “preliminary plan” from the United States to end the war with Russia, stating that it is ready to work constructively with Washington, the Ukrainian presidency said this Thursday, November 20.
“The Ukrainian president has officially received a preliminary plan from the United States that, according to the American assessment, could revitalize diplomacy,” declared the presidential office in a message published on the social network Telegram.
The Ukrainian leader, Volodymyr Zelensky, plans to discuss in the coming days “the available diplomatic options and the main points necessary for peace”, with his North American counterpart, Donald Trump, said the same message.
“We stand ready to work constructively with the North American side and our partners in Europe and around the world to achieve peace”he added.
Zelensky has a meeting scheduled for today in Kiev with officials from the Pentagon (United States Department of Defense), according to Ukrainian authorities.
The meeting comes after the Ukrainian leader’s visit to Türkiye on Wednesday, where he hoped Washington would resume peace talks. However, the White House (US presidency) envoy, Steve Witkoff, who allegedly discussed the US plan with the Kremlin (Russian presidency), did not attend.
Several international news organizations, including the North American news portal Axios, revealed on Wednesday a 28-point proposal from Washington, which involves the cession of Ukrainian territory occupied by Russia and the reduction of Ukraine’s armed forces to 400,000 personnel.
In reaction, the Russian presidency commented today that the North American proposal brings “nothing new” in relation to what was discussed at the summit of the leaders of the United States and Russia, in August in Alaska, despite Axios indicating that it was prepared in conjunction with Moscow.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov resorted to a play on words to respond evasively to journalists who questioned him on the matter.
“Today there are no consultations as such. Contacts, without a doubt, exist”, he stated.
Peskov also resorted to the arguments usually used by Moscow regarding the conflict, noting that “any time is good for a peaceful resolution”, as long as the solution eliminates its “root causes”.
The High Representative for Foreign Affairs of the European Union (EU) today rejected, for her part, any plan that does not have the agreement of Ukraine, as an invaded country, and European participation, reminding Washington that, in this conflict, “there is a clear aggressor and a victim”.
Kaja Kallas said, before the start of a meeting of the 27 foreign ministers in Brussels, that the meeting would focus on “recent news”.
The United Kingdom, another important ally of Kiev, commented that it is up to the Ukrainians to decide their future, although it shares US President Donald Trump’s desire to end the war.
“Russia could do so tomorrow by withdrawing its forces and putting an end to its illegal invasion, but instead [Vladimir] Putin continues to send a wave of missiles and drones into Ukraine, destroying the lives of innocent Ukrainians, including children and the elderly,” said a spokesman for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, quoted by The Guardian newspaper.