The United States, Ukraine, and Europe are coordinating the parameters of a 20-point peace plan, most of whose provisions have already been agreed upon. The key issue remains security guarantees intended to replace NATO membership and deter further Russian aggression. At the same time, discussions continue over territorial issues and mechanisms for monitoring a possible ceasefire.
Compensation Mechanism for Damage Caused by Russian Aggression
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, together with leaders of 34 other countries, has officially supported the creation of an international mechanism to compensate for damage inflicted on Ukraine as a result of Russia’s full-scale invasion. The initiative was endorsed at a meeting in The Hague with the support of the Council of Europe, which is working to launch an International Claims Commission. This body is expected to review applications from Ukrainians regarding “damage, losses, or injuries” suffered since February 2022. At the same time, a key question remains unresolved: what sources will be used to fund compensation payments.
The Council of Europe insists that responsibility for compensation must lie with the aggressor state, but currently there is no mechanism capable of forcing Moscow to pay. One proposed option is the use of frozen Russian assets in Europe. “The aggressor must pay,” Zelenskyy said in the Dutch parliament. Approximately 80,000 claims have already been submitted to the damage registry, while the agreement establishing the commission still requires ratification by the parliaments of participating countries.
NATO-Style Security Guarantees: Talks Continue
The United States, Ukraine, and European partners have reached agreement on security guarantees for Ukraine that would resemble NATO mechanisms. According to U.S. officials, about 90% of disagreements in the 20-point draft peace agreement have already been resolved following talks in Berlin. The main discussions focused on guarantees intended to deter renewed Russian aggression in the future. At the same time, the issue of the border in the Donbas region remains unresolved.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the existence of differing positions on territorial issues. “For now we have different positions, to be honest,” he told journalists. The United States is prepared to submit possible security commitments to the Senate, though without deploying ground troops. European leaders speak of a “significant diplomatic momentum,” while acknowledging that Russia’s absence from the negotiating table and its continued attacks on Ukraine pose serious risks to the process.
Zelenskyy: “Peace Proposals May Be Passed to Russia Within Days”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky saidthat work on ending the war could be completed within days and passed to the Russian side through U.S. intermediaries. According to him, the draft peace plan discussed in Berlin is “not perfect,” but “very feasible.” At the same time, a number of key issues—including the status of the occupied territories—remain unresolved. Zelenskyy emphasized that negotiations with the United States have brought the sides closer to agreements on strong security guarantees.
According to NATO representatives, the proposed security model envisions maintaining a powerful Ukrainian army with Western support. “Europeans will lead multinational and multidomain forces… while the United States will lead the ceasefire monitoring and verification mechanism,” one official said. Meanwhile, the Kremlin states it is not interested in a temporary ceasefire. Zelenskyy stressed that Kyiv rules out recognizing Moscow’s control over Donbas and expects increased Western pressure if diplomatic efforts fail.
Claims of Ukraine’s Defeat
Despite statements by U.S. President Donald Trump stated that Ukraine is allegedly losing the war, Ukrainian military personnel and Western analysts assess the situation differently. On the front lines, serious problems related to manpower shortages and increased intensity of Russian attacks are acknowledged. At the same time, officers note that there has been no breakthrough by the Russian army and that its advances come at a high cost. Ukrainian forces continue to hold positions and repel attacks.
Major Oleh Hlushko said that Russian units often announce the capture of positions that later return under Ukrainian control. “Sometimes they manage to raise flags… but then we conduct a clearing operation,” he noted. Western officials confirm that the Russian army is not on the verge of a strategic breakthrough. This divergence in assessments complicates negotiations over territorial concessions, which Moscow and some American politicians are pressing for.
New Meeting Between Ukrainian and U.S. Teams
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reportedthat the next round of talks between Ukraine and the United States could take place as early as the coming weekend. According to him, Ukrainian documents are currently being finalized, after which the U.S. side will consult with Russia. Only then is a meeting of negotiating teams in the United States planned. Zelenskyy said it could take place in Miami.
“Today or tomorrow we will finalize our documents,” the president said, explaining the sequence of steps. He clarified that he himself would not take part in the talks, and that the teams would discuss security guarantees, economic recovery, and the 20 points of the framework agreement. After that, Kyiv will consider the possibility of meetings at the level of leaders, including with the President of the United States.
Author: Danylo Pievchev