Disputes revealed in American-European documents concerning potential peace plans for Ukraine
Title: US-Europe Divide Surfaces Over Ukraine Peace Proposal
In a recent turn of events, documents reveal a significant split between the United States and key European nations, including Ukraine, in their quest for a sustainable peace deal for Ukraine.
This week, leading European nations alongside Ukraine presented a counter-proposal to the American peace plan. As illustrated by the two proposals, there are stark differences in opinions on critical areas such as control of Russian-occupied territories, sanctions against Russia, security guarantees, and the size of Ukrainian military forces.
During joint consultations between American, European, and Ukrainian representatives in Paris and London, U.S. special representative Steve Witkoff put forth the American proposal. Rubio described it as an initial blueprint to pinpoint differences. Meanwhile, the second text was authored during discussions between Ukrainian and European representatives, including those from France, Britain, and Germany.
Witkoff recently met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the hope of implementing U.S. proposals. After a three-hour conversation, there seemed to be convergence between the two sides, according to the Russian presidential administration. The possibility of resuming direct negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian representatives relating to Ukraine was discussed.
One bone of contention is the Witkoff paper, which calls for the de-jure recognition of Russian control over the Crimea Peninsula, annexed by Russia in 2014, and acceptance of de-facto Russian control over eastern and southern Ukrainian territories occupied since the 2022 conflict. In sharp contrast, the European and Ukrainian proposal contains no acknowledgment of Russian control over Ukrainian territory, with in-depth discussions on the issue scheduled for after a ceasefire has been established.
Another significant difference lies in the long-term security of Ukraine. The U.S. proposes that Ukraine should receive a "robust security guarantee" from European and other friendly nations, but does not provide specifics. Furthermore, it advocates for Ukraine renouncing its pursuit of NATO membership, a major demand of Russia.
In contrast, the European and Ukrainian paper is more comprehensive, emphasizing that there should be no limitations on the Ukrainian military or the deployment of allied troops on Ukrainian territory, a point contested by Russia. It also mentions a "robust security guarantee" for Ukraine from the U.S., similar to the commitment under NATO's Article 5.
The Witkoff paper advocates for lifting sanctions against Russia that have been imposed since the annexation of Crimea. Conversely, the European-Ukrainian proposal calls for a gradual lifting of sanctions once a stable peace is in place, with the option to reapply sanctions if Russia violates the peace agreement.
The European-Ukrainian document also proposes financial compensation for war damages from frozen Russian assets abroad. The Witkoff text simply states that Ukraine will receive financial compensation, without specifying the source of the funds.
These discrepancies underscore the complexity in bridging the views of the US, Ukraine, and European countries regarding crucial issues concerning the Russia-Ukraine conflict resolution.
- Steve Witkoff, the U.S. special representative, has proposed recognizing de-jure Russian control over the Crimea Peninsula and accepting de-facto Russian control over eastern and southern Ukrainian territories in a peace proposal.
- Ukraine, along with leading European nations, has counter-proposed a plan that contains no acknowledgment of Russian control over Ukrainian territory, instead scheduling in-depth discussions on the issue after a ceasefire has been established.
- The European-Ukrainian proposal also calls for a gradual lifting of sanctions against Russia once a stable peace is in place, with the option to reapply sanctions if Russia violates the peace agreement.
- Witkoff's paper advocates for the United States to provide a "robust security guarantee" to Ukraine but does not provide specifics, whereas the European-Ukrainian paper emphasizes no limitations on the Ukrainian military or the deployment of allied troops on Ukrainian territory.
- The Witkoff paper suggests that Ukraine should renounce its pursuit of NATO membership, a major demand of Russia, while the European-Ukrainian document does not mention any such condition in its long-term security proposals.
