Washington shares ceasefire monitoring draft with European, Ukrainian officials

The United States has presented a preliminary plan for monitoring a potential ceasefire in Ukraine.

The draft concept was shared during high-level meetings in Paris on April 17, where European, Ukrainian, and US officials gathered to discuss the prospects for a ceasefire and security guarantees for Ukraine, Caliber.Az reports citing Ukrainian media.

An unnamed Western official said that the US had developed a draft concept outlining how a comprehensive ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia could be monitored, should the conflict reach such a point. However, the official did not provide further details on the specifics of the plan.

The discussions in Paris saw a number of key figures involved, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff, and French President Emmanuel Macron. Ukraine’s delegation was represented by Presidential Office Head Andriy Yermak, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, and Defence Minister Rustem Umerov. The meetings were described by Yermak as “very substantive,” signaling productive conversations on the way forward.

The ceasefire talks have highlighted ongoing divisions regarding security guarantees for Ukraine. Members of the France and UK-led "coalition of the willing" have urged the US to provide additional security assurances in support of European forces. These guarantees are seen as crucial to deterring further Russian aggression after a potential ceasefire. However, as of now, the US has not offered any security guarantees, and it had previously excluded Europe from key ceasefire discussions.

While Rubio acknowledged the importance of the security guarantees issue during the Paris meetings, he declined to publicly comment on any proposals related to them. The US is expected to continue its discussions with European and Ukrainian officials in London next week, where further details on the ceasefire and security arrangements are likely to be addressed.

The monitoring plan, still in its preliminary stages, represents a crucial step in the diplomatic efforts to end the conflict in Ukraine, but significant challenges remain before any lasting ceasefire can be achieved.

By Vafa Guliyeva