US and Europe prepare peace plan to improve post-war state of Ukraine and Russia – The Washington Post
The United States and Europe are discussing a joint four-point peace plan that foresees both territorial concessions from Ukraine and Russia, as well as security guarantees and agreements aimed at improving the economic condition of both countries.
Source: The Washington Post, citing comments from a US official familiar with the negotiations
Quote from The Washington Post: "The package would have four basic components, according to the US official. The message to Putin would be: Don't just end the war with Ukraine. Make an economic and security deal with Europe that would restore stability to the region after an upward spiral of escalation."
Details: The Washington Post explains that the peace plan currently being developed by the US and European nations relies on the principle of "whenever you run into a problem you can't solve, make it bigger".
Specifically, driving diplomatic efforts, US Presidential Envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner organised a meeting in Miami on 9 October with representatives from Ukraine, the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Germany. During the session, they asked the Ukrainians to cease strikes against Russian oil refineries and briefed them on Trump's deal with Russia regarding diesel fuel.
Quote from the official: "We need to make the problem and the solution bigger to help both sides see what the postwar situation would be – and then make concessions."
Details: As part of the US-European peace settlement, the US is seeking to formulate a package of measures that accounts for the post-war needs of both Ukraine and Russia to improve their standing following a territorial compromise that will be unpalatable to both sides.
According to the official, the package will consist of four core components. First will be the reconstruction of Ukraine. The World Bank and investment firm BlackRock aim to establish a financial mechanism to rebuild the country's damaged regions, provide assistance to families of fallen and wounded soldiers and restore the shattered economy. Negotiators have already requested detailed cost estimates from Kyiv alongside guarantees that funds will not be embezzled post-war. The Ukrainian side has not yet provided exact figures but is expected to do so in the coming days.
The second component of the peace settlement will be security guarantees. Ukraine would receive commitments from the US and European nations regarding military intervention in the event of a new Russian attack – which the US official stated is equivalent to Article 5 of the NATO Treaty. They noted that Russia would also enter into agreements with Europe addressing Moscow's security concerns, though specific terms remain unclear.
The third direction will be the economic integration of Russia, Ukraine and Europe through an energy agreement. One proposed aspect could be a pipeline transporting Russian oil and gas to Europe, with revenues split between Russia and Ukraine. Such a pipeline could sharply reduce European energy costs, as the official noted.
Aside from granting Russia long-term access to the European energy market, the peace agreement would also define how and when current economic sanctions against Russia will be lifted.
The fourth point of the plan will prove most unacceptable to both sides, as the official claims. It envisions that Russia, which launched the war hoping to conquer all of Ukraine, would agree to a ceasefire along the current front line. For Ukraine, it would mean allowing Russia to control occupied territory.
However, a major hurdle for such an agreement is that the "line of control", as negotiators call it, remains fluid due to small daily shifts along the front line.
Background: According to media reports, Witkoff and Kushner informed the Ukrainian delegation at negotiations in Miami that the agreement permitting the export of Russian diesel fuel is part of an effort to bring Russia back to the negotiating table.
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