Ukraine Offers Counter-Proposals as US Pushes for 'Free Economic Zone' in Eastern Ukraine
In a bid to counter pressure from the United States, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has confirmed that his country presented a 20-point set of proposals for peace, including conditions under which any territorial concessions would be put to a referendum. The US seeks to establish a "free economic zone" in parts of eastern Ukraine controlled by Kyiv, while Moscow aims to exert control over the area.
According to Zelenskyy, the US is pushing for Ukrainian troops to withdraw from the Donetsk region, with the compromise being that Russian troops would not enter the proposed buffer area. However, he emphasized that any territorial concessions must be approved by a referendum in Ukraine, stressing the importance of the Ukrainian people having a say in such decisions.
The proposal comes as the United States is under mounting pressure to secure a deal with Russia, with reports suggesting US President Donald Trump wants an agreement by Christmas. The general peace plan includes the 20-point framework and separate documents on security guarantees and rebuilding Ukraine.
In a statement on Twitter, Zelenskyy confirmed discussions with top US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and highlighted that security guarantees are crucial elements in any subsequent steps. He also emphasized the need for concrete answers regarding actions to be taken if Russia decides to launch aggression again.
The tensions between Ukraine and Russia have been escalating over recent months, with fighting intense in the Donetsk region. The situation remains volatile, with both sides accusing each other of aggression.
Meanwhile, NATO chief Mark Rutte warned that Russia could use military force against the alliance within five years, urging members to rapidly increase defense spending and production. In a speech in Berlin, Rutte emphasized the urgency of taking action, stating that "conflict is at our door."
In related news, Ukraine's allies in the so-called Coalition of the Willing have discussed progress on mobilizing frozen Russian sovereign assets during a virtual meeting. The European Commission is also pushing to tap some $232 billion worth of Russian central bank assets currently immobilized in the bloc.
As tensions continue to rise, international diplomacy remains crucial in finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict. With talks ongoing between Ukraine and Russia, and discussions with US officials, it remains to be seen whether an agreement can be reached by Christmas as reported.
In a bid to counter pressure from the United States, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has confirmed that his country presented a 20-point set of proposals for peace, including conditions under which any territorial concessions would be put to a referendum. The US seeks to establish a "free economic zone" in parts of eastern Ukraine controlled by Kyiv, while Moscow aims to exert control over the area.
According to Zelenskyy, the US is pushing for Ukrainian troops to withdraw from the Donetsk region, with the compromise being that Russian troops would not enter the proposed buffer area. However, he emphasized that any territorial concessions must be approved by a referendum in Ukraine, stressing the importance of the Ukrainian people having a say in such decisions.
The proposal comes as the United States is under mounting pressure to secure a deal with Russia, with reports suggesting US President Donald Trump wants an agreement by Christmas. The general peace plan includes the 20-point framework and separate documents on security guarantees and rebuilding Ukraine.
In a statement on Twitter, Zelenskyy confirmed discussions with top US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and highlighted that security guarantees are crucial elements in any subsequent steps. He also emphasized the need for concrete answers regarding actions to be taken if Russia decides to launch aggression again.
The tensions between Ukraine and Russia have been escalating over recent months, with fighting intense in the Donetsk region. The situation remains volatile, with both sides accusing each other of aggression.
Meanwhile, NATO chief Mark Rutte warned that Russia could use military force against the alliance within five years, urging members to rapidly increase defense spending and production. In a speech in Berlin, Rutte emphasized the urgency of taking action, stating that "conflict is at our door."
In related news, Ukraine's allies in the so-called Coalition of the Willing have discussed progress on mobilizing frozen Russian sovereign assets during a virtual meeting. The European Commission is also pushing to tap some $232 billion worth of Russian central bank assets currently immobilized in the bloc.
As tensions continue to rise, international diplomacy remains crucial in finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict. With talks ongoing between Ukraine and Russia, and discussions with US officials, it remains to be seen whether an agreement can be reached by Christmas as reported.
what if the us just tries 2 push for their own interests without really thinkin bout the long term effects? like, we all wanna see peace in ukraine but let's not forget there r people on both sides who wanna protect themselves. maybe we shd focus more on finding a way to help ukraine become stronger instead of just tryna score points with russia 
I'm still not sure if they're being serious about a "free economic zone" in eastern Ukraine... It sounds like just another way for the US to get its foot in the door and exert more control over the region 
. Zelenskyy's proposal to have any territorial concessions approved by a referendum is actually kinda reasonable, but I'd love to see some actual concrete steps being taken from the US side before we start celebrating 
. And can we please get some clarity on what "security guarantees" even mean? It feels like just more empty promises 
What's going on with Russia and NATO anyway? Can't they talk it out instead of threatening military action? 
It feels like everyone's just trying to one-up each other. I'm not saying I agree or disagree with either side, but can't we all just get along? 
. I mean, come on, Volodymyr Zelenskyy is right, the Ukrainian people need to have a say in any decisions that affect their country. A referendum is not too much to ask for, especially when it's about territorial concessions. It's like they're saying, "Hey, we'll let you decide this, but just do it quickly and don't bother us with the details." No thanks! 
gotta feel for zelenskyy on this one... like, the us is pushing hard for a free economic zone in eastern ukraine, but ukrainians deserve a say in their own country 
. referendum is key here, right? can't let external powers just dictate how their land is used 
. and yeah, don't even get me started on russia's intentions... they're not exactly known for being all peacelove 
. gotta keep the diplomatic talks going and hope for the best 
.
. And what's with the buffer area? Sounds like someone needs to draw a line in the sand... or in this case, in Ukraine 
!
. It sounds like just another excuse for the US to get more involved in Ukraine's politics. I mean, what's next? Them showing up at our doorstep and being all like 'Hey, we want a free trade deal!' 
. We need to take charge and lead the way.
20 point framework is like super comprehensive i need to see more details but the fact that they're putting a referendum on any territorial concessions is SO important for the ukrainian people's voices to be heard 
just looked at some stats on global economic impact of this whole mess... 
they're getting more resilient by the day 
that sounds like a step in the right direction. If the US and Russia can hammer out some sort of deal, it'd be great to see some progress on this front soon 
It's so disheartening when world leaders are all pushing for the same things without considering the people's voices 
And let's be real, the US and Russia both need to calm down their rhetoric and focus on finding some actual solutions 
and NATO chief Rutte is right on point btw warning Russia might try to use military force again in 5 years 
we need more diplomacy not just bluster from world leaders 
and omg the idea of Ukraine's allies mobilizing those frozen Russian assets is like, totally genius 
I mean, have you seen the proposal that Ukraine just put on the table? 20 points of peace and a referendum for any territorial concessions... that's like, super fair! 
And let's not forget, NATO is warning Russia that they could use military force... like, that's a big deal! 
Wouldn't that be something? 