A 28-point proposal would trade control of Donbas for U.S. security guarantees to Ukraine and Europe.

On Wednesday, the outlet Axios reported that U.S. President Donald Trump plans to grant Russia territory in eastern Ukraine in exchange for a security guarantee from Washington for Kiev and the rest of Europe.

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This would be part of a 28-point plan drafted in secret by the White House and inspired by the 20-point plan used to reach a cease-fire in the Gaza war.

The plan envisions Russia gaining full control of Luhansk and Donetsk, which make up the Donbas. Currently, however, Ukraine still controls about 15% of that territory, according to an analysis by the Institute for the Study of War.

Although Russia would have de facto control over the Donbas, the region would be designated as a demilitarized zone, and Russia would not be allowed to deploy troops there. In addition, the Kremlin would have to return to Ukraine areas it occupies in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.

The plan is being negotiated between Trump’s special representative for Russia and the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, and the Kremlin’s envoy Kirill Dmitriev. Qatar and Turkey are participating in drafting the new Trump plan and support the U.S. mediation efforts.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly stated that he will not back down or cede any part of his country’s territory in potential peace negotiations with Russia. However, he says he is open to negotiating in any format if it appears likely to yield results and if Ukraine is not excluded from the talks.

On Thursday, Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson, avoided confirming the existence of a U.S.-drafted peace plan for Ukraine negotiated without Kiev and European countries.

“Such consultations do not exist as of today. Contacts, without any doubt, do exist. On that point, I can only repeat what I said several times yesterday: I cannot add anything new to what was discussed in Anchorage. There is no new information… Russia remains open to a settlement, but it must lead to the elimination of the root causes of the conflict,” he said.

teleSUR/ JF

Sources: Axios – EFE

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