European countries working with Ukraine on 12-point proposal to end war with Russia – Bloomberg
European countries are working with Ukraine on a 12-point proposal to end Russia's war along the current front lines.
Source: Bloomberg, citing informed sources, as reported by European Pravda
Details: According to people familiar with the matter, the implementation of the proposed plan will be overseen by a peace board chaired by US President Donald Trump.
The proposals include the return of all deported children to Ukraine and a prisoner exchange once Russia, following Ukraine, agrees to a ceasefire and both sides commit to halting territorial advances. Ukraine would receive security guarantees, funding for war-related reconstruction and a path to rapid accession to the European Union.
Sanctions against Russia would be gradually lifted, although around US$300 billion of frozen central bank reserves would only be returned once Moscow agrees to contribute to post-war reconstruction in Ukraine. Restrictions would be reinstated if Russia attacks Ukraine again.
Moscow and Kyiv would begin talks on managing occupied territories, though neither Europe nor Ukraine would legally recognise any occupied land as Russian, the sources say.
So far, Russia has rejected calls to cease hostilities along the existing lines, despite massive casualties in a war now in its fourth year.
Details of the plan are still being finalised and may change, the sources noted. Any proposal would also require support from Washington, and European officials may visit the US this week.
The proposal echoes last week's calls from Trump to immediately freeze the war along current lines before commencing negotiations.
Background:
- European leaders said on Tuesday that they "strongly support" an immediate cessation of Russia's war in Ukraine at the current positions to create conditions for peace talks.
- After a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on 17 October, Trump said that Ukraine and Russia "should stop where they are".
- Zelenskyy did not argue with this, but reminded him that Ukraine did not start the war and it is not Ukraine that has to stop.
- According to The Washington Post, during his phone call with Trump, Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin demanded full control over Donetsk Oblast as a condition for ending the war.
- Trump has said he supports freezing the war between Russia and Ukraine along the current front line and denied claims that he urged Zelenskyy to cede the entire territory of Donetsk Oblast.
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