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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine stated that proposals for a peace deal developed with American diplomats are poised to be completed in a matter of days. Following this, U.S. representatives will submit the documentation to the Russian leadership.

Berlin Talks Yield Significant Progress, But Key Hurdles Remain

After two days of discussions in Berlin, American negotiators reported on Monday that around “90%” of the disputed points between Moscow and Kyiv had been resolved. Despite this optimistic assessment, an actual conclusion to the conflict remains uncertain, especially given the Russian lack of participation from the current dialogue.

Early Tuesday morning, Zelenskyy said that the US Congress is expected to vote on defense assurances and that a complete package of agreements might be ready “imminently.” He added that, the U.S. would engage in discussions with Moscow, potentially followed by high-level meetings possibly this coming weekend.

Security Guarantees and International Support

“We are counting on five key agreements. Several pertain to security guarantees: legally binding, that is, approved and endorsed by the US Congress,” Zelenskyy remarked to the press. He stated that these assurances would “reflect the collective defense clause” of the Nato alliance.

On Monday, US officials did not provide precise information regarding the likely contents of the security package or the consequences if Moscow sought to capture more land after a peace deal. Officials did confirm that the United States has no plans to deploy troops on the ground in Ukraine.

Leaders from the UK, France, Germany and several additional European countries said in a unified declaration that troops from a “coalition of the willing” could “help with the rebuilding of Ukraine’s forces, in protecting Ukraine’s skies, and in ensuring maritime security, potentially by operating inside its territory.”

They stopped short, however, of proposing these actions would serve as assurances equivalent to Nato’s article 5. In any case, there is little sign that Russia is near accepting the kind of arrangement being negotiated between Washington and Kyiv.

Kremlin Response and Land Issue

On Tuesday, the Kremlin stated it had not received the specifics of the proposals on security guarantees. Additionally, a senior Russian diplomat, Sergey Ryabkov, asserted that the country would not agree to troops from Nato countries being stationed in Ukraine “under any circumstances.”

The main sticking point between the Ukrainian team and US negotiators remains the territorial question. A key demand centers on Kyiv relinquishing the areas of the Donbas region it currently controls, while the Ukrainian side wants to maintain the current front lines. “Talks continue on the land dispute. As is known, it is one of the key issues. At this point, there is no agreement on it yet,” the president said following the Berlin discussions.

American mediators, headed by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, has proposed a middle-ground proposal. Under this plan would see Ukrainian forces pull back, but Russian troops would not advance, with the resulting zone becoming “an open economic area.” Moscow has indicated it could use police and national guard formations rather than the army in such an area, suggesting it would still expect to control the territory.

“Let me reiterate: a ‘special economic zone’ is not controlled by Russia. Neither de jure nor de facto will we recognise the Donbas region – its currently occupied areas – as Russian. Absolutely,” stated President Zelenskyy.

Next Steps and Potential Outcomes

The way ahead is uncertain how Moscow and Kyiv will proceed on the land question. Zelenskyy has earlier mentioned that a compromise solution such as a free economic zone might be theoretically possible if the citizens of Ukraine approved it in a referendum. The major impediment is likely to be when the plans are put to President Vladimir Putin of Russia, who has shown no indication he is willing to compromise on his military objectives.

“If Putin rejects everything, we will face precisely the situation we are experiencing on our plane right now – turbulence,” said the president, recording the comments after his plane took off from Berlin.

“I believe the United States will apply sanctions pressure and provide us with more weapons if they reject the deal. I think, that would be a fair request from Ukraine to the United States,” he concluded.