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

Berlin Talks Yield Major Headway, With Critical Obstacles Persist

Following extensive talks in Berlin, American negotiators indicated on Monday that around “90%” of the contentious issues between Russia and Ukraine had been settled. Although the outlook appears positive, an actual conclusion to the war is not guaranteed, especially given Russia's lack of participation from the ongoing discussions.

In the early hours of Tuesday, Zelenskyy said that the American legislature was anticipated to consider defense assurances and that a complete package of documents could be prepared “imminently.” Subsequently, the United States would engage in discussions with Moscow, potentially followed by high-level meetings as soon as this weekend.

Security Guarantees and Allied Backing

“We are counting on five key agreements. Some of them concern security guarantees: legally binding, that is, voted on and endorsed by the United States Congress,” Zelenskyy commented to journalists. He stated that these assurances would “reflect the collective defense clause” of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

On Monday, US officials did not provide precise information regarding the likely contents of the defense package or the consequences if Russia attempted to seize more land after a peace deal. Officials did confirm that the U.S. has no plans to place boots on the ground in the country.

Heads of state from the UK, France, Germany and several additional European nations said in a unified declaration that forces belonging to a “coalition of the willing” could “help with the regeneration of Ukrainian military capabilities, in protecting Ukrainian airspace, and in ensuring maritime security, including through operating inside Ukraine.”

They stopped short, however, of proposing these measures would constitute assurances equivalent to Nato’s article 5. In any case, there is scant indication that Moscow is near accepting the kind of arrangement under discussion between Washington and Kyiv.

Kremlin Response and Land Issue

On Tuesday, the Russian government stated it had not received the details of the proposals on security guarantees. Additionally, a senior Russian diplomat, Sergey Ryabkov, declared that the country would never accept troops from NATO member states being stationed in Ukraine “under any circumstances.”

The primary obstacle between the Ukrainian team and their American counterparts remains the territorial question. A key demand involves Kyiv ceding the areas of the Donbas region it currently controls, while the Ukrainian side wants to freeze the lines. “Talks continue on the land dispute. You know, it is a central problem. At this point, there is no consensus on it yet,” Zelenskyy said after the Berlin talks.

American mediators, led by two senior advisors, has suggested a compromise solution. Under this plan would see Ukraine pull back, but Russia would not advance, with the resulting zone established as “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 maintain authority there.

“I want to stress once again: 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 Russian. Categorically,” stated President Zelenskyy.

Path Forward and Possible Scenarios

The way ahead is uncertain how the two sides will resolve the territorial issue. The Ukrainian leader has earlier mentioned that a negotiated arrangement such as a free economic zone could be theoretically possible if the citizens of Ukraine voted for it in a referendum. The major impediment is likely to be when the proposals are presented to President Vladimir Putin of Russia, who has shown no indication he is willing to compromise on his military objectives.

“Should Russia refuse all proposals, we will face precisely the situation we are experiencing on our flight right now – instability,” said the president, making the statement as his aircraft departed from Berlin.

“I believe the United States will apply sanctions pressure and provide us with more weapons if he rejects everything. In my view, that would be a fair request from Ukraine to the United States,” he added.