German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced that Ukraine has submitted a new peace plan draft to US President Donald Trump, which includes considerations regarding territorial concessions that Kyiv might be willing to make.
Merz stressed that any territorial decisions must come primarily from the Ukrainian president and its citizens. We also made this clear to President Trump, he added.
In recent weeks, European leaders have collaborated closely with Ukraine to formulate a peace plan that addresses Kyiv's interests and concerns.
Despite this progress, Trump has shown signs of frustration with the complex sovereignty issues regarding Russian-occupied Ukrainian lands, leading to concerns that he may impose a Russian-favored solution on Ukraine, which its allies vehemently oppose. It would be a mistake to force the Ukrainian president into a peace that his people will not accept after four years of suffering and death, Merz cautioned during a news conference with NATO chief Mark Rutte.
In a recent discussion, Trump indicated he had yet to decide on attending a European meeting, expressing the need for efficient dialogue regarding Ukraine.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed willingness to communicate directly with Trump to resolve key issues, but Trump's team maintains that all critical topics must be settled before such a meeting can proceed.
The territorial question, particularly regarding Russia's demands for Ukraine to withdraw from occupied regions, remains a pivotal topic, with Zelensky reiterating Ukraine's legal and moral stance against ceding land.
As diplomatic efforts intensify, Zelensky is set to engage with allies in talks centered around the coalition's response to recent developments.
Moscow, on the other hand, has maintained a silence amidst the diplomatic flurry, contributing to the perception that it aligns with US efforts regarding peace negotiations.
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has claimed approval of Trump’s role in brokering a peace deal, asserting that recent high-level meetings have resolved previous misunderstandings about Russia's position.
Concerns persist among Ukrainian and European officials about the adequacy of security guarantees in any potential agreement, underlining the precarious balance of power in ongoing negotiations.
