Ukraine and the United States have bridged significant gaps on a comprehensive 20-point peace proposal to end the nearly four-year conflict with Russia, though control over eastern territories and a critical nuclear site remains a major hurdle.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed on Wednesday that while consensus has been reached on the vast majority of the framework, the two allies remain at odds over the future of the Donbas region and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP).
The diplomatic push comes as Washington shares the draft with Russian negotiators. Moscow is expected to deliver its formal response on Wednesday, a moment that could determine if the war is entering a genuine de-escalation phase.
Zelenskyy described the status of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions—collectively known as the Donbas—as “the most difficult point.” Russia has demanded that Ukraine cede all territory within these regions, including areas Moscow has yet to capture.
Kyiv has flatly rejected this ultimatum. In response, American negotiators have suggested a compromise: transforming these battle-scarred areas into free economic zones.
Ukraine’s counter-proposal hinges on total demilitarization and the deployment of an international peacekeeping force to prevent a repeat of the failed 2014 Minsk agreements. Zelenskyy insisted that any long-term status for the region must be ratified by a national referendum.
The management of Europe’s largest nuclear facility, the Zaporizhzhia plant, presents a second major obstacle. The U.S. has proposed a tripartite consortium involving equal stakes for Washington, Kyiv, and Moscow.
However, Zelenskyy is pushing for a bilateral joint venture between the U.S. and Ukraine. Under this plan, the U.S. would hold a share that it could then manage on behalf of Russian interests, effectively keeping the facility under Western and Ukrainian oversight.
“We have not reached consensus with the American side on the ZNPP,” Zelenskyy told reporters during a briefing in Kyiv. He noted that the nearby city of Enerhodar would also need to be designated as a demilitarized zone, a point that reportedly required 15 hours of grueling debate with American officials.
The draft plan suggests freezing the current contact line across five regions once a deal is signed. Hostilities would cease for 60 days to allow for the referendum process and the arrival of international monitors.
While the plan calls for a Russian withdrawal from the Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Sumy, and Kharkiv regions, the presence of foreign troops is a non-negotiable for Kyiv. Zelenskyy remains wary of Russian promises, citing the “little green men” who spearheaded the 2014 invasion.
“Since there is no faith in the Russians,” Zelenskyy said, “international forces must be there to guarantee that no one enters under any guise.”
As the world awaits the Kremlin’s reaction, the primary question remains whether the “free economic zone” model can offer enough of a face-saving exit for Moscow without compromising Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
