Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday presented a new 20-point peace plan that offers concessions to Russia to end the conflict in Ukraine.
The proposal streamlines the 28-point peace plan proposed by the Trump administration and funds the creation of a “fortress belt” of cities in the Donetsk region to protect Ukraine from further Kremlin incursions.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has pushed for the acquisition of the entire Donetsk region in peace talks and has made stopping the land a requirement to end the war.
Rather than giving up land, Zelensky proposed creating a demilitarized zone along the front lines that would require Russian and Ukrainian troops to withdraw from areas covered by the agreement.
“If we create a free economic zone here, and we imagine a de facto demilitarized zone – which means heavy troops will withdraw from the area – and the distance is, for example, 40 kilometers (could be 5, 10 or 40 kilometers) – then if the two cities of Kramatorsk and Slovinsk are our free economic zone, the Russians will have to pull back their troops 5, 10 or 40 kilometers accordingly,” Zelensky told reporters, according to CNN on Tuesday.
The Ukrainian leader said voters must decide whether to agree to the terms in a referendum, a 60-day process.
“Then people can choose: Is this ending suitable for us or not?” Zelenquez said, according to CNN.
“That is the referendum. The referendum needs at least 60 days. We need a real ceasefire for 60 days; otherwise, we cannot hold it. In other words, the referendum will not be legal,” he continued.
Zelensky and European and U.S. leaders have been urging Putin to agree to a ceasefire. However, the Kremlin’s attacks on Kiev continue, with drone strikes taking place in recent days.
“Because the Russians have no confidence in them and they have repeatedly broken promises, today’s line of contact is turning into a de facto free economic zone line, where international forces should be there to ensure that no one gets in there under any guise – whether it’s ‘little green men’ or Russian troops masquerading as civilians,” Zelensky said, according to NBC News.
His draft proposal outlines a plan to withdraw Russian troops from the Dnipropetrovsk, Nikolaev, Sumy and Kharkiv regions.
Other conditions include the establishment of a peace commission chaired by President Trump and the creation of a Ukraine development fund to help the country recover from an estimated $800 billion in damage and losses.
Zelensky pushed for U.S. investment in the country’s natural gas industry, data centers and technology after Russia repeatedly attacked the country’s energy grid.
Another component of the proposal would ensure that Ukraine receives 50% of the electricity output of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant. According to CNN, the Ukrainian government has proposed that the United States control another 50% of the plant and decide how to distribute its assets.
Zelensky rejected a previous proposal in which the United States, Ukraine and Russia would split the joint venture into three parts, with each country receiving 33% of the plant’s output.
“Obviously, for Ukraine, this sounds very unsuccessful and not entirely realistic. After all, how can you do joint trade with the Russians?” Zelenks said, according to NBC.
He said the countries had been talking for more than 15 hours about the plant.
In addition to economic support, Zelensky also asked for security guarantees from the United States, NATO and European countries that would “reflect Article 5” and impose sanctions on Russia if Russia invades Ukraine again.
According to CNN, the agreement will be void if Kiev opens fire on Moscow without provocation.
As of Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin “received a detailed briefing on the outcome of the Miami trip” to allow for further negotiations with Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner and other envoys.
“Based on this information, Moscow will formulate next steps and continue engagement through existing channels in the near future,” he added.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports and streaming video, head to The Hill.