Ukrainian and European officials have rejected some of the United States’ proposals aimed at ending the war with Russia, instead presenting counter-proposals focused on territory, sanctions, and security guarantees.
According to documents obtained by Reuters, these proposals stemmed from negotiations held in Paris on April 17 and in London on April 23 between representatives of the US, Europe, and Ukraine. They shed light on the intricate “shuttle diplomacy” currently underway as US President Donald Trump seeks a swift resolution to the conflict.
The two sides disagree significantly on the sequence for resolving territorial issues, lifting sanctions, securing military guarantees, and the size of Ukraine’s future armed forces.
The first proposal, delivered by Trump’s special representative Steve Witkoff to European officials in Paris and then relayed to Ukraine, outlines what US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described as a “broad framework” for mapping out disagreements. A second document, created after the London talks between Ukrainian and European representatives, was later shared with the US side.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday that the document prepared after the London meeting is already on President Trump’s desk. This diplomatic effort is the most serious push toward peace since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Russian troops currently occupy nearly one fifth of Ukraine’s territory.
In terms of territory, Witkoff’s document proposes US legal recognition of Russia’s control over Crimea and de facto recognition of Russian occupation in parts of Ukraine’s southern and eastern regions. In contrast, the European and Ukrainian counter-proposal delays territorial discussions until after a ceasefire and refuses to acknowledge any Russian sovereignty over Ukrainian land.
For long-term security arrangements, the US proposal suggests Ukraine receive “reliable security guarantees” from European nations and other allies, without providing specifics. It also assumes Kyiv will abandon plans to join NATO. The Ukrainian-European plan, however, is more concrete. It calls for no limits on Ukraine’s armed forces and permits deployment of allied forces on Ukrainian soil. It also requests guarantees from the United States, under a framework similar to NATO’s Article 5, which treats an attack on one member as an attack on all.
On the issue of sanctions, the US proposal includes lifting those imposed on Russia since its 2014 annexation of Crimea. Ukraine and Europe’s counter-offer instead proposes gradually easing sanctions only after a durable peace agreement is reached, and reinstating them if Russia violates its terms. The Ukrainian-European document also demands financial compensation for wartime damages from Russian state assets currently frozen abroad. Witkoff’s draft offers financial compensation but does not specify its source.
Meanwhile, the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people has issued a strong warning against any recognition of Crimea as Russian. Refat Chubarov, head of the Mejlis, condemned such attempts as violations of international law and Ukrainian sovereignty. He stressed that only the de-occupation of Crimea and the restoration of Ukraine’s full territorial integrity would be acceptable. Any other outcome would set a dangerous precedent for global security and the rights of indigenous peoples, especially the Crimean Tatars.
President Zelenskyy remains hopeful that the continued cooperation between Ukraine, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany will lead to a lasting peace. However, a statement by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt suggested concern over Kyiv’s position in the peace process, while affirming President Trump’s interest in ending the bloodshed.
In contrast, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Le Point magazine that the war would end “instantly” if Ukraine withdrew from four occupied regions: Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
