Kyiv and U.S. positions significantly diverge on issues of territories, the size of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and NATO membership; this is not about "minor details that need to be resolved," a Ukrainian source told CNN.
There are significant discrepancies between the proposals of the peace plan from the Donald Trump administration directed at Ukraine and what the authorities in Kyiv are willing to accept. This was reported on Wednesday, November 26, by the American television channel CNN, citing a high-ranking Ukrainian source familiar with the negotiations.
According to him, a "consensus" has been reached on most of the 28 points of the plan - at the same time, there are at least three issues on which the opinions of the parties differ significantly.
Issues of Territories, Size of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and NATO Membership
In particular, the question arises as to whether a number of key territories in the Donbas will come under Moscow's control. The U.S. had previously suggested that Ukraine agree to the establishment of a demilitarized zone there under Russian control. A Ukrainian source told CNN that "some progress" has been made on this proposal, but a final decision has not been reached.
Additionally, there is a discussion about the U.S. proposal to limit the size of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) to 600,000 personnel. Kyiv is not yet ready to approve this idea.
Finally, Ukraine does not want to give up the prospect of becoming a NATO member. Such a concession would create a "bad precedent" and effectively give Russia a veto right over the admission of new candidates to the alliance, "of which it is not even a member," the source noted.
It’s Not About "Minor Details"
All three points are "red lines" for Ukraine, but they are fundamental for Moscow, the channel stated.
No matter how the Trump administration tries to present it, this is not about "a few remaining points of disagreement" or "minor details that need to be resolved," emphasizes CNN.
Podolyak: Sensitive Issues Moved to a Separate Track
Earlier, the advisor to the head of the office of the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, Mykhailo Podolyak, confirmed in a conversation with DW that during the negotiations, the U.S. president's peace plan has been partially modified, with "some sensitive issues moved to a separate track."
Podolyak specifically expressed confidence that a number of aspects excluded from the discussions, particularly those concerning territories and security guarantees for Kyiv, should be discussed primarily at the level of the presidents of the United States, Ukraine, and European leaders.
The head of the office of the President of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak, told Axios that Zelensky hopes to meet personally with Trump this week to agree on a joint plan to end the war.
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