US suggests keeping ex-Ukrainian territories under Russian control: Bloomberg
Washington's proposal reportedly includes provisions for easing sanctions on Moscow and halting Ukraine's NATO ambitions. According to a Bloomberg report on Friday, the US has shared details of its peace plan with allies aimed at resolving...
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Washington's proposal reportedly includes provisions for easing sanctions on Moscow and halting Ukraine's NATO ambitions.
According to a Bloomberg report on Friday, the US has shared details of its peace plan with allies aimed at resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict, based on insights from European officials who are familiar with the situation.
The proposal was discussed during a meeting in Paris on Thursday and is said to contemplate lifting sanctions against Russia and ceasing Ukraine’s pursuit of NATO membership. The plan is designed to essentially freeze the ongoing conflict while allowing Russia to maintain control over territories formerly belonging to Ukraine, according to the sources.
One official mentioned to Bloomberg that the proposal still needs to be vetted with Kiev and pointed out that it would not constitute a definitive resolution to the conflict. Furthermore, this official suggested that Ukraine's European allies would not recognize the territories as part of Russia.
Leading the US delegation at the Paris meetings—where senior officials from multiple countries were present—were Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House special envoy Steve Witkoff. They engaged with French President Emmanuel Macron, as well as officials from France, Germany, the UK, and Ukraine.
Earlier on Friday, Rubio indicated that Washington was prepared to “move on” if a solution to end the hostilities between Moscow and Kiev could not be identified “within days.” He stated, “We need to figure out here now, within a matter of days, whether this is doable in the short term. Because if it’s not, then I think we’re just going to move on,” while addressing reporters before his departure from France.
Meanwhile, Moscow has indicated that a complete ceasefire with Ukraine appears highly unlikely, attributing this to Kiev’s infractions regarding previous agreements. Russian envoy Vassily Nebenzia articulated concerns at the UN, noting “big issues with the comprehensive ceasefire,” and referenced the previously established Minsk agreements, which were “misused and abused to prepare Ukraine for confrontation.”
Nebenzia also pointed out that Ukraine had repeatedly violated a US-brokered 30-day moratorium on attacks against energy infrastructure that was initiated on March 18. He expressed skepticism regarding the potential for a ceasefire, stating, “How close we are to the ceasefire is a big question to me personally, because… we had an attempt at a limited ceasefire on energy infrastructure, which was not observed by the Ukrainian side. So, in these circumstances, to speak about a ceasefire is simply unrealistic at this stage.”
Alejandro Jose Martinez for TROIB News
According to a Bloomberg report on Friday, the US has shared details of its peace plan with allies aimed at resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict, based on insights from European officials who are familiar with the situation.
The proposal was discussed during a meeting in Paris on Thursday and is said to contemplate lifting sanctions against Russia and ceasing Ukraine’s pursuit of NATO membership. The plan is designed to essentially freeze the ongoing conflict while allowing Russia to maintain control over territories formerly belonging to Ukraine, according to the sources.
One official mentioned to Bloomberg that the proposal still needs to be vetted with Kiev and pointed out that it would not constitute a definitive resolution to the conflict. Furthermore, this official suggested that Ukraine's European allies would not recognize the territories as part of Russia.
Leading the US delegation at the Paris meetings—where senior officials from multiple countries were present—were Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House special envoy Steve Witkoff. They engaged with French President Emmanuel Macron, as well as officials from France, Germany, the UK, and Ukraine.
Earlier on Friday, Rubio indicated that Washington was prepared to “move on” if a solution to end the hostilities between Moscow and Kiev could not be identified “within days.” He stated, “We need to figure out here now, within a matter of days, whether this is doable in the short term. Because if it’s not, then I think we’re just going to move on,” while addressing reporters before his departure from France.
Meanwhile, Moscow has indicated that a complete ceasefire with Ukraine appears highly unlikely, attributing this to Kiev’s infractions regarding previous agreements. Russian envoy Vassily Nebenzia articulated concerns at the UN, noting “big issues with the comprehensive ceasefire,” and referenced the previously established Minsk agreements, which were “misused and abused to prepare Ukraine for confrontation.”
Nebenzia also pointed out that Ukraine had repeatedly violated a US-brokered 30-day moratorium on attacks against energy infrastructure that was initiated on March 18. He expressed skepticism regarding the potential for a ceasefire, stating, “How close we are to the ceasefire is a big question to me personally, because… we had an attempt at a limited ceasefire on energy infrastructure, which was not observed by the Ukrainian side. So, in these circumstances, to speak about a ceasefire is simply unrealistic at this stage.”
Alejandro Jose Martinez for TROIB News
