Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says a deal aimed at ending Russia’s near four-year-old invasion could be finalised with the US and then presented to Russia within days.
Speaking to reporters after hours of discussions in Berlin, Mr Zelenskyy described the draft peace plan being negotiated with the US as “not perfect” but “very workable”.
He warned, however, that some key issues — notably what happens to Ukrainian territory occupied by Russian forces — remain unresolved.
US-led peace efforts appear to be picking up momentum.
But as the spotlight shifts to Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin may baulk at some of the proposals thrashed out by officials from Washington, Kyiv and Western Europe, including postwar security guarantees for Ukraine.
Mr Zelenskyy said that after the Berlin talks, “we are very close to [a deal on] strong security guarantees”.
Ukrainians are about to mark their third Christmas since Russia’s invasion began. (Reuters: Gleb Garanich)
If agreed to between the US and Ukraine, he said American envoys would then present the deal to the Kremlin before further meetings in the US next weekend.
The security proposal will be based on Western help in keeping the Ukrainian army strong, an official from a NATO nation said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.
“Europeans will lead a multinational and multi-domain force to strengthen those troops and to secure Ukraine from the land, sea and air, and the US will lead a ceasefire monitoring and verification mechanism, with international participation,” the official said.
Ukraine hails ‘real progress’ in peace talks with US
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov repeated on Tuesday that Russia wants a comprehensive peace deal, not a temporary truce.
If Ukraine seeks “momentary, unsustainable solutions, we are unlikely to be ready to participate,” he said.
“We want peace — we don’t want a truce that would give Ukraine a respite and prepare for the continuation of the war,” he told reporters. “We want to stop this war, achieve our goals, secure our interests, and guarantee peace in Europe for the future.”
American officials said Monday there was consensus from Ukraine and Europe on about 90 per cent of the US-authored peace plan.
US President Donald Trump said “I think we’re closer now than we have been, ever” to a peace settlement.
Defence of eastern Europe an ‘immediate’ priority, EU leaders say
Meanwhile, attention is also turning to how Europe can better defend itself in the event of future Russian aggression.
On Turesday, the leaders of Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Sweden said that defending Europe’s eastern flank should be an “immediate” priority for the European Union in the face of the threat posed by Russia.
The leaders met in Helsinki for the first Eastern Flank Summit.
“Russia remains a threat today, tomorrow and in the foreseeable future for the whole of Europe,” Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo told reporters following the meeting.
It is the first time the summit of eastern European leaders has been held. (Reuters: Lehtikuva/Heikki Saukkomaa)
The final declaration signed by leaders said that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its repercussions “constitute a profound and enduring threat to European security and stability”.
“The situation calls for an immediate prioritisation of the EU’s eastern flank through a coordinated and multi-domain operational approach,” it said.
That includes “ground combat capabilities, drone defence, air and missile defence, border and critical infrastructure protection, military mobility and counter mobility”, the leaders said.
‘Aggressor must pay’ compensation, Zelenskyy says
Also on Tuesday, Mr Zelenskyy and 34 other countries formally approved plans to create a compensation body to pay for damages to Ukraine caused by the Russian invasion, but questions remain about where the money will come from.
Mr Zelenskyy told leaders gathered at The Hague, in the Netherlands, that he hopes for strong international support so “any damage caused by the war can be compensated”.
The Council of Europe, the continent’s pre-eminent human rights organisation, has facilitated the International Claims Commission, which will allow Ukrainians to seek compensation for “damage, loss or injury” caused by Russia since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
Ukraine has long called for frozen Russian assets to be used to pay for damage inflicted on the country. (Reuters: Thomas Peter)
The Council of Europe is adamant that Russia must foot the bill, but there is no clear pathway for forcing Moscow to pay.
One proposal is to use some of the tens of billions of dollars in frozen Russian assets held in Europe.
“The aggressor must pay,” Mr Zelenskyy told the Dutch parliament earlier Tuesday.
Thirty-five countries backed the International Claims Commission, but they now must ratify the treaty, a process which usually requires legislature approval. That level of support is unprecedented for the start of a Council of Europe treaty.
AP/AFP
