Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed optimism following substantive diplomatic discussions with U.S. representatives regarding potential pathways to resolve the ongoing conflict with Russia. The nearly hour-long conversation on Thursday with American envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner yielded what Zelensky described as “novel concepts concerning negotiation frameworks, prospective meetings, and temporal considerations for advancing genuine peace prospects.
This diplomatic engagement occurred shortly after the revelation of an updated 20-point peace blueprint, collaboratively developed by American and Ukrainian negotiators during recent talks in Florida. While acknowledging persistent challenges in addressing delicate matters, Zelensky emphasized productive alignment with the American delegation regarding implementation strategies.
The revised peace proposal represents an evolution from earlier drafts formulated between Witkoff and Russian officials, which had faced criticism for perceived excessive concessions to Moscow. According to Zelensky’s Wednesday elaboration, the current iteration contemplates potential Ukrainian military withdrawal from eastern territories, establishing demilitarized zones in vacated areas. Crucially, the plan incorporates security assurances from the United States, NATO, and European nations mandating coordinated military response should Russia launch future aggression against Ukraine.
Regarding the contentious Donbas region, Zelensky suggested a “free economic zone” as a potential resolution mechanism, while maintaining that any areas vacated by Ukrainian forces would remain under Ukrainian law enforcement jurisdiction.
Concurrently, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed Moscow’s analytical examination of proposals conveyed by Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev following his American consultations. Peskov indicated that subsequent diplomatic engagement with American counterparts would be determined by President Vladimir Putin’s assessment of these materials.
Amid these diplomatic developments, military operations persist unabated. Ukrainian forces reportedly struck the strategically significant Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery in Russia’s Rostov region using cruise missiles on Thursday. This facility plays crucial logistical role in fueling Russian military operations in occupied eastern Ukrainian territories. Meanwhile, Russia’s defense ministry announced its seizure of Sviato-Pokrovske settlement in the Donetsk region, underscoring the continuing territorial contestation.