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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine stated that proposals for a peace deal negotiated with American diplomats are poised to be completed in a matter of days. Afterward, American envoys will present the terms to the Russian leadership.

Berlin Talks Yield Major Headway, But Key Hurdles Persist

After two days of discussions in Berlin, US officials reported on Monday that around “90%” of the contentious issues between Moscow and Kyiv had been settled. Despite this optimistic assessment, the path to ending the conflict remains uncertain, particularly because the Russian lack of participation from the current dialogue.

In the early hours of Tuesday, the Ukrainian president said that the US Congress is expected to vote on defense assurances and that a complete package of agreements might be ready “imminently.” He added that, the United States would engage in discussions with Moscow, leading to summit-level talks as soon as this coming weekend.

Security Guarantees and International Support

“The plan involves five key agreements. Several concern security guarantees: legally binding, that is, approved and approved by the US Congress,” the president commented to the press. He stated that these guarantees would “mirror article 5” of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

On Monday, US officials declined to give precise information regarding the likely contents of the security package or what would happen if Russia attempted to seize more land following an agreement. Officials did confirm that the U.S. has no plans to deploy troops on the ground in Ukraine.

Heads of state from the United Kingdom, France, and Germany and eight other European countries said in a unified declaration that troops from a “coalition of the willing” could “assist in the rebuilding of Ukraine’s forces, in securing Ukrainian airspace, and in ensuring maritime security, potentially by operating inside its territory.”

However, they did not suggesting these actions would serve as guarantees equivalent to Nato’s article 5. Furthermore, there is scant indication that Moscow is anywhere close to accepting the type of package under discussion between Washington and Kyiv.

Moscow's Stance and Territorial Dispute

The following day, the Russian government said it had not seen the details of the plans for security guarantees. Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Sergey Ryabkov, declared that Russia would not agree to troops from Nato countries being stationed in Ukraine “under any circumstances.”

The primary obstacle between the Ukrainian team and US negotiators remains the territorial question. One proposal centers on Kyiv ceding the areas of the Donbas it currently controls, while the Ukrainian side prefers to maintain the current front lines. “Talks continue on the territorial issue. You know, it is one of the key issues. Currently, there is no consensus on it yet,” the president said following the Berlin discussions.

American mediators, led by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, has suggested a compromise solution. This framework would see Ukrainian forces withdraw, but Russian troops would not advance, with the resulting zone becoming “an open economic area.” Russia has suggested it could use police and national guard formations rather than the army in such an area, implying it would still seek to control the territory.

“I want to stress once again: a ‘free economic zone’ does not mean under the control of Moscow. Neither de jure nor de facto do we accept the Donbas region – its currently occupied areas – as belonging to Russia. Absolutely,” said Zelenskyy.

Next Steps and Possible Scenarios

The way ahead is uncertain how Moscow and Kyiv will proceed on the territorial issue. The Ukrainian leader has earlier mentioned that a compromise solution such as a special economic area could be theoretically possible if the citizens of Ukraine voted for it in a referendum. The major impediment is likely to be when the proposals are put to President Vladimir Putin of Russia, who has given no sign he is willing to compromise on his war aims.

“If Putin rejects everything, we will face exactly what we are experiencing on our plane right now – instability,” said the president, making the statement as his aircraft took off from Berlin.

“I am confident the United States will increase sanction pressure and provide us with more weapons if they reject the deal. I think, that would be a fair request from Ukraine to the United States,” he added.