Ukraine Peace Plan Could Be Presented to Russia Within Days, Zelenskyy Says

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Monday that peace proposals to end the nearly four-year war with Russia could be finalized and presented to the Kremlin within days, following intensive negotiations with U.S. officials in Berlin. Speaking to reporters after two days of talks in the German capital, Zelenskyy described the draft peace plan as "not perfect" but "very workable." The negotiations involved President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner, alongside Ukrainian and European officials. U.S. officials reported significant progress, claiming consensus on approximately 90% of the American-authored peace plan. The discussions have centered on providing Ukraine with NATO-style Article 5 security guarantees, which would treat an attack on Ukraine as an attack on all guarantor nations. "We believe the Russians, in a final deal, will accept all these things, which will allow for a strong and free Ukraine," one U.S. official said. However, any such security assurance would require congressional approval. Key sticking points remain unresolved, particularly regarding Ukrainian territory currently occupied by Russian forces. Zelenskyy acknowledged these "painful" territorial concessions represent one of the most challenging aspects of any potential agreement. The Ukrainian president indicated that American envoys would present the proposals to Moscow before possible further meetings in the United States next weekend. Zelenskyy expressed confidence that if Russia rejects the peace plan, the U.S. would respond with additional sanctions and military aid to Ukraine. "I believe the United States will apply sanctions pressure and provide us with more weapons if [Putin] rejects everything," Zelenskyy told reporters Tuesday. "I think that would be a fair request from us to the Americans." Russian response has been measured, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterating Tuesday that Russia wants a comprehensive peace deal, not a temporary truce. Moscow has not indicated willingness to accept the proposals discussed in Berlin. The peace efforts come as military actions continue on multiple fronts. Ukraine's domestic intelligence agency announced Monday that it successfully struck a Russian submarine at the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk using underwater "Sub Sea Baby" drones, marking the first time such weapons were used against submarines in this conflict. Zelenskyy emphasized that while speed is important in reaching an agreement, reliability and concrete political decisions are paramount. "The Americans want a swift resolution; we care about reliability," he said, speaking to journalists aboard his plane. The talks represent the most significant diplomatic momentum in the conflict since Russia's invasion began. European leaders have expressed cautious optimism about the negotiations, though they acknowledge that Moscow's acceptance of any final agreement remains uncertain. As negotiations continue, the focus shifts to whether Russian President Vladimir Putin will accept the proposed framework, which includes postwar security guarantees for Ukraine and mechanisms for Russian reparations. The coming days will prove crucial in determining whether diplomatic efforts can succeed where military solutions have failed to end Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II.