Zelensky presents 20 points of peace plan in Ukraine

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, presented for the first time in detail the 20 points of the peace plan in Ukraine drawn up together with the United States and reiterated his willingness to reach a territorial compromise in Donbass, one of the points that remain open.

In a conversation with journalists on Tuesday (23), Zelensky reiterated that White House emissaries have already transmitted the aforementioned peace plan to the Kremlin envoy and expressed the expectation that the next contacts between Washington and Moscow will take place today. “I don’t know what format the next conversation will take. Maybe with (Vladimir) Putin. It will probably be tomorrow,” said Zelensky, referring to this Wednesday.

The 20-point peace plan proposes a non-aggression pact between Russia and Ukraine, which would be overseen by a monitoring mechanism and based on a series of security guarantees, such as an 800,000-strong Ukrainian army and binding agreements by which the US and other allies would commit to providing a defense equivalent to NATO’s Article 5.

Regarding the thorniest issue, the territorial cessions claimed by Russia, Zelensky acknowledged that, at this moment, the peace plan foresees two options, of which Kiev prefers the first, which would consist of freezing the current front line. The second option would involve the creation of one or more economic zones in the part of the Donetsk region that Ukraine still controls but that Moscow claims – something that, however, would only be studied after Kiev receives sufficient security guarantees.

“If this decision is made, a separate agreement will be signed between Ukraine, the US and Russia that will determine the status of the special economic zone and the steps that the two parties to the conflict will take in an equivalent manner to withdraw their forces,” he explained.

The special economic zone would be administered by Ukraine, even with the withdrawal of its troops, and international forces would need to be present to ensure that “neither ‘little green men’ nor Russian military personnel disguised as civilians enter,” Zelensky warned. Furthermore, a decision of this type, which involved the withdrawal of troops from Donetsk, could only be legitimized by a referendum.

The peace plan makes no reference to Kiev’s ambitions to join NATO. Zelensky stated that this issue can only be decided by the Alliance members themselves, who, at the moment, do not wish to admit Ukraine. According to the president, it is possible that NATO and Russia will negotiate separately on the future of their relationship, but Ukraine itself will not renounce its “decision” to aspire to membership, although this is not realistic at the moment.

These are the 20 points of the peace plan presented by Zelensky to Ukrainian journalists on Tuesday, as recorded this Wednesday by the Ukrainian state agency Ukrinform:

Point 1: Ukraine is a sovereign country and all signatories confirm this.

Point 2: Russia and Ukraine irrevocably commit not to attack each other. A monitoring mechanism will be established to monitor the contact line and resolve possible conflicts.

Point 3: Ukraine will receive robust security guarantees.

Point 4: The Armed Forces of Ukraine will be capped at 800,000 personnel in peacetime.

Point 5: US, NATO and European signatory states will provide Ukraine with guarantees equivalent to Article 5 mutual defense of the Atlantic Alliance.

Point 6: Russia will legally anchor its policy of non-aggression towards Europe and Ukraine, which must also be ratified by the Duma, the Russian Chamber of Deputies.

Point 7: Ukraine will be admitted to the European Union at some point, but before that it will receive privileged access to the single market.

Point 8: Ukraine will get a global package of support for economic recovery, set out in another independent investment agreement.

Point 9: Various funds will be created to support the reestablishment of the economy, with the aim of raising 678 billion euros – the estimated cost of the war – through credits or contributions from the private sector.

Point 10: Ukraine will speed up the process of negotiating a free trade agreement with the US.

Point 11: Ukraine undertakes to continue without developing nuclear weapons, in accordance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Point 12: The Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, currently occupied by Russia, will be jointly operated by Ukraine, the US and Russia, although the exact details are still subject to debate.

Point 13: Ukraine and Russia will implement educational and social programs to eliminate prejudices and foster understanding between both countries. Ukraine will adopt European standards for the protection of minority languages ​​(in reference to the Russian-speaking population).

Point 14: Regarding the territorial issue, Kiev proposes two options: freeze the current front line as it passes through the regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhya and Kherson – the possibility preferred by the government – or demilitarize the Donetsk zone that Ukraine still controls and that Moscow claims, transforming it into a special economic zone administered by Ukraine and protected by international troops, upon approval in a national referendum.

Point 15: Ukraine and Russia commit not to resort to force to change agreed territorial demarcations.

Point 16: Russia will not prevent Ukraine from using the Dnieper River and the Black Sea for commercial purposes, an issue that will be regulated in another independent agreement.

Point 17: A humanitarian commission will be established to resolve outstanding issues such as prisoner exchange and the return of all civilians held by Russia, including deported minors.

Point 18: Ukraine will hold elections as soon as possible after the agreement is signed.

Point 19: The implementation of this agreement will be supervised and guaranteed by a peace council chaired by American President Donald Trump.

Point 20: Once all parties accept this agreement, a ceasefire will come into effect immediately.