Washington and Kyiv are discussing a peace plan that includes Ukraine's EU membership as early as 2027. Among other ideas are the creation of a demilitarized zone and security guarantees from the U.S.
Washington and Kyiv are discussing a proposal for Ukraine to join the European Union as early as 2027 as part of talks on a plan to end the war in Ukraine, reported The Washington Post (WP) columnist David Ignatius, citing American and Ukrainian officials in an article published on Tuesday, December 9. According to him, the administration of President Donald Trump believes it is possible to overcome the resistance of EU states, including Hungary, which oppose the accelerated admission of Ukraine.
Membership in the EU, according to Washington's plan, is intended to stimulate Ukraine's economic development, lead to increased trade and investment, and enhance the fight against corruption. At the same time, the idea of creating a demilitarized zone along the line of ceasefire from the Donetsk region to Kherson and Zaporizhia is being discussed.
Ignatius writes that behind this zone, there may be another, deeper one, where heavy weapons will be prohibited. It is planned to be under constant surveillance, similar to the demilitarized zone between South and North Korea.
Security Guarantees
The U.S., according to WP, is ready to provide Ukraine with security guarantees comparable to Article 5 of the NATO Charter. Kyiv insists that such a document should not only be signed but also ratified by the U.S. Congress. European states, in turn, will have to provide their own guarantees.
At the same time, the new U.S. national security strategy raises questions about Washington's willingness to provide military assistance in Europe in the event of renewed aggression from Russia, but Trump's team assures that the U.S. will continue to provide Ukraine with intelligence data.
Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant
Among other proposals, the transfer of the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant under U.S. control is being discussed, notes WP.
Earlier, in the first version of the U.S. peace plan published on November 20 in the media, it was proposed that Ukraine enshrine in its constitution a refusal to join NATO, while the alliance would renounce the possibility of accepting it in the future. At the same time, Ukraine was to retain the right to join the European Union.
The same document stated that the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant would be launched under the supervision of the IAEA, and the electricity produced would be distributed equally between Ukraine and Russia.
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