CNN: Ukraine rejects three key US peace plan conditions important to Russia

Kyiv and Washington negotiators agreed on numerous aspects of the US peace plan for Ukraine, yet Ukraine refused three terms central to Russia, preventing full alignment on the proposal

However, several key points, particularly important to Moscow, were not accepted by Ukraine, CNN reports, citing a Ukrainian source.

Among the most sensitive of these remaining points is whether Ukraine would surrender key territories in the Donbas region.

Firstly, Ukraine faces the challenge of ceding control of the heavily fortified “fortress belt” of towns and cities critical to its security. Earlier US proposals suggested these areas could become Russian-administered demilitarised zones.

A Ukrainian source told CNN there has been “certain progress” on this idea, but no decisions on the substance or wording of draft proposals have been reached. “It would be very wrong to say we have now the version that is accepted by Ukraine,” the source added.

Secondly, the controversial US proposal for Ukraine to limit its military to 600,000 troops, as outlined in the 28-point plan, remains under discussion. The Ukrainian source said a higher number has been suggested, but Kyiv still seeks further adjustments before agreeing to any such limits.

Thirdly, the US demand that Ukraine renounce its ambition to join NATO remains unacceptable. According to the source, such a move would set a “bad precedent” and effectively give Russia a veto over an alliance it is not a member of.

All three issues, the surrender of annexed territory, military restrictions, and permanent exclusion from NATO, represent Moscow’s most cited reasons for waging war and its primary conditions for ending the conflict. At the same time, they are long-standing red lines for Ukraine, defended at the cost of tens of thousands of lives. Any formal compromise carries significant political and strategic risks.

By Jeyhun Aghazada