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

Berlin Talks Yield Significant Progress, With Critical Obstacles Remain

Following extensive talks in Berlin, US officials reported on Monday that approximately “90%” of the contentious issues between Russia and Ukraine had been resolved. Although the outlook appears positive, the path to ending the conflict is not guaranteed, especially given Russia's absence from the current dialogue.

Early Tuesday morning, Zelenskyy said that the US Congress was anticipated to consider security guarantees and that a complete package of agreements could be prepared “imminently.” Subsequently, the U.S. would engage in discussions with Moscow, leading to summit-level talks as soon as this coming weekend.

Defense Assurances and Allied Backing

“The plan involves five documents. Some of them pertain to binding security pledges: formally ratified, that is, approved and approved by the US Congress,” Zelenskyy commented to journalists. He stated that these assurances would “mirror the collective defense clause” of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Earlier, US officials did not provide specific details regarding the likely contents of the security package or what would happen if Russia attempted to seize more land after a peace deal. Officials did confirm that the United States has no plans to place boots on the ground in the country.

Heads of state from the United Kingdom, France, and Germany and eight other European countries said in a unified declaration that troops from a “coalition of the willing” could “help with the regeneration of Ukrainian military capabilities, in protecting Ukraine’s skies, and in ensuring maritime security, potentially by conducting operations within Ukraine.”

They stopped short, however, of suggesting these measures would constitute guarantees equivalent to Nato’s article 5. In any case, there is scant indication that Russia is near agreeing to the type of package being negotiated between Washington and Kyiv.

Kremlin Response and Territorial Dispute

On Tuesday, the Russian government stated it had not seen the details of the proposals on security assurances. Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Sergey Ryabkov, asserted that Russia would not agree to troops from NATO member states operating in Ukrainian territory “no matter what.”

The main sticking point between the Ukrainian team and their American counterparts continues to be the territorial question. One proposal involves Kyiv ceding the parts of the Donbas region it still holds, while the Ukrainian side prefers to maintain the current front lines. “Talks continue on the land dispute. You know, it is a central problem. At this point, there is no agreement on it yet,” Zelenskyy remarked following the Berlin discussions.

The US negotiation team, led by two senior advisors, has suggested a middle-ground proposal. This framework would see Ukraine pull back, but Russian troops would not move forward, with the demilitarised area becoming “a free economic zone.” Russia has indicated it could use police and national guard formations rather than the army in such an area, suggesting it would still seek to control the territory.

“Let me reiterate: a ‘special economic zone’ does not mean controlled by Russia. Not legally or in practice do we accept the Donbas region – its currently occupied areas – as belonging to Russia. Categorically,” stated President Zelenskyy.

Next Steps and Potential Outcomes

The way ahead is uncertain how Moscow and Kyiv will proceed on the territorial issue. The Ukrainian leader has earlier mentioned that a compromise solution like a free economic zone could 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 Russian president Vladimir Putin, who has given no sign he is willing to compromise on his war aims.

“If Putin rejects everything, we will end up with precisely the situation we are experiencing on our flight right now – instability,” commented the president, recording the comments after his plane took off from Berlin.

“I believe the United States will apply sanctions pressure and supply more weapons if he rejects everything. In my view, that would be a reasonable expectation from Ukraine to the Americans,” he concluded.