In cooperation with Kyiv, the European states are preparing a 12-point plan aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. This was reported by Bloomberg on Tuesday, citing its sources. The fighting should stop on the current front lines, and the implementation of the agreement would be overseen by a council headed by US President Donald Trump, reports TASR.
After the implementation of the ceasefire, the proposal envisages the return of all deported Ukrainian children and the exchange of prisoners of war. Ukraine would also receive security guarantees, funds for post-war reconstruction and be allowed to join the EU quickly.
Sanctions against Russia would be gradually lifted, although some $300 billion of frozen Russian assets would be returned to Moscow only if it contributed to the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine. Sanctions would be reimposed if Russia attacked Ukraine again.
The proposal assumes that neither Ukraine nor the European states would officially recognize the occupied territories as part of Russia. Kyiv and Moscow should discuss their future arrangements after the ceasefire is established.
Sources said the details of the plan are still being finalized and are subject to change. The United States would also have to agree to any proposal. For this reason, European representatives could travel to the USA this week.
US President Donald Trump called for a freeze on the conflict along the current front line after a phone call with Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin last Thursday. He also suggested a meeting with Putin in Budapest, however, the AP agency, citing its source, reported that plans for the leaders’ meeting are on hold for now.
Bloomberg’s sources said that in the phone call with Trump, Putin demanded for Ukraine to cede the entire Donbas to Russia, however, it is not clear whether Moscow would be willing to make territorial concessions in other occupied areas in return. In addition to Donbas, consisting of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, Russia also claims the Crimean peninsula, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions.
