No further Nato expansion. Occupied Ukrainian territory recognised as Russian, including by the US. No prosecution for Russia for war crimes.
These are a few of the clauses – a part of a ‘give up document’, brokered by Donald Trump – that Ukraine is facing after almost 4 years of war.
Buried in the course of the 28-point ‘peace blueprint’ being hammered out between the US and Russia, clause 14 stands out like a flashing sign.
It offers up $100 billion in frozen Russian assets – repackaged as a fund for reconstruction, with the US pocketing half the profits.
Meanwhile, Russia can be granted around two-thirds of the $300 billion of sovereign assets frozen in Europe.
Keir Giles, a Russia expert at Chatham House, told Metro this can be a ‘payoff’ for the Trump administration.
He said: ‘You’ll be able to see why that may appeal to the US. Effectively, Russia is saying, “we have now given up on these frozen funds already, why don’t you help yourself to it”.
‘The terms on reallocation present a carrot dangled in front of the Trump administration to encourage them towards enforcement of the agreement on Ukraine.’
Europe would even be expected so as to add $100 billion to spice up the investment for Ukraine’s reconstruction.
The proposal appears to heed to the demands of the Kremlin, whose 2022 full-scale invasion has was Europe’s worst conflict since World War II.
Under the draft, Russia wouldn’t only keep territories that it occupies but get more land currently controlled by Ukraine.
The West would lift sanctions on Russia, which might even be invited back into the G8.
The plan would also pile pressure on Volodymyr Zelensky, requiring that elections are held in Ukraine inside 100 days – one other key demand being pushed by Russia, which has repeatedly and openly called for the Ukrainian leader to be toppled.
Giles explained that that is ‘an ordinary list of capitulation terms’ for Ukraine – with latest language designed to offer the impression that Russia is definitely giving something up and that Ukraine has some type of guarantees for its security.
Describing the terms as ‘meaningless or unenforceable or so vague that you’ll never find a way to to agree on the precise impact of them,’ he said: ‘It is filled with things which prejudice the longer term existence of Ukraine as a state.’
Under the proposal, the US would recognise Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk and Lugansk regions, in addition to annexed Crimea, as ‘de-facto Russian.’
Ukraine would withdraw its troops from parts of the Donetsk region it still controls – ceding more territory to Russia and in keeping with one among Russia’s key demands.
The frontline can be frozen within the southern Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, that are each partly occupied by Russia.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin would quit small pockets of territory in has seized within the Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions.
Ukraine would receive unspecified ‘reliable security guarantees’ while at the identical time commit to cutting the scale of its army.
It will also bind Ukraine to ‘enshrine in its structure’ not to affix Nato, though European jets can be stationed in neighbouring Nato-member Poland.
In addition to attending to keep its conquered territory, the plan also calls for Russia to be ‘re-integrated into the worldwide economy’.
Giles added: ‘The important thing issue is that if the US, by enforcing this agreement, endorses the capture of territory by force through unprovoked aggression, then we’re all in peril.
‘This agreement is pretending that the war never happened.
‘Rollback of sanctions on Russia, no prosecution for war crimes… In other words, Russia is rewarded with no costs.
‘If the US endorses it, then it’s an open invitation to any aggressor around the globe to say, “Yes, these landgrabs achieved through military force are something that may get the blessing of the US, so let’s have a go.’”
Zelensky has said he’ll discuss the plan with Trump within the ‘coming days’ – thus far not saying if he would comply with any of it.
He has insisted his country needed a ‘dignified peace’.
‘With a neighbour like Russia, defending one’s own dignity, freedom, and independence is a particularly difficult task,’ the president said earlier today.
Sir Keir Starmer held a call with Zelensky in addition to Emmanuel Macron and German chancellor Friedrich Merz to debate the proposal.
The prime minister told reporters: ‘My position has at all times been focused on a just and lasting peace. That’s the reason we have now done a lot work on the Coalition of the Willing.
‘But that’s premised on the principle underpinning that, which is central to me, which is that the longer term of Ukraine should be determined by Ukraine and we mustn’t ever lose sight of that principle underpinning the just and lasting peace that all of us wish to see.’
Full text of a draft version of the 28-point peace plan
1. Ukraine’s sovereignty to be reconfirmed.
2. There can be a complete and complete comprehensive non-aggression agreement between Russia, Ukraine and Europe. All ambiguities of the last 30 years can be considered resolved.
3. There can be the expectation that Russia is not going to invade its neighbours and NATO is not going to expand further.
4. A dialogue between Russia and NATO, moderated by the US, will convene to deal with all security concerns and create a de-escalatory environment to make sure global security and increase the opportunities for connectivity and future economic opportunity.
5. Ukraine will receive robust security guarantees.
6. The dimensions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces can be capped at 600,000.
7. Ukraine agrees to enshrine in its structure that it’ll not join NATO, and NATO agrees to pass in its bylaws not to simply accept Ukraine at any point in the longer term.
8. NATO agrees to not station any troops in Ukraine.
9. European fighter jets can be stationed in Poland.
10. The U.S. guarantee: a. The U.S. to receive compensation for the guarantee; b. If Ukraine invades Russia, it forfeits the guarantee; c. If Russia invades Ukraine, along with a sturdy coordinated military response, all global sanctions can be restored and recognition for the brand new territory and all other advantages from this agreement can be withdrawn; d. If Ukraine fires a missile at Moscow or St. Petersburg then, the safety guarantee can be considered null and void.
11. Ukraine is eligible for EU membership and can get short-term preferred market access to the European market while this issue is being evaluated.
12. Robust Global Redevelopment Package for Ukraine including but not limited to: a. Creation of Ukraine Development Fund to take a position in high-growth industries including technology, data centers, and AI efforts. b. The USA will partner with Ukraine to jointly restore, grow, modernize, and operate Ukraine’s gas infrastructure, which incorporates its pipelines and storage facilities. c. A joint effort to redevelop areas impacted by the war to revive, redevelop and modernize cities and residential areas. d. Infrastructure development. e. Mineral and natural resource extraction. f. A special financing package can be developed by The World Bank to offer financing to speed up these efforts.
13. Russia to be re-integrated into the worldwide economy: a. Sanction relief can be discussed and agreed upon in phases and on a case-by-case basis. b. The USA will enter right into a long-term Economic Co-operation Agreement to pursue mutual development within the areas of energy, natural resources, infrastructure, artificial intelligence, data centers, rare earth metal projects within the Arctic in addition to other mutually useful corporate opportunities. c. Russia to be invited back into the G8.
14. Frozen funds can be used as follows: $100 billion of the frozen Russian funds can be invested in a US-led effort to reconstruct and spend money on Ukraine. The US will receive 50% of the profits from this enterprise. Europe will match this $100 billion contribution to extend the investment available to rebuild Ukraine. The European funds which can be frozen can be released. The balance of the frozen Russian funds can be invested in a separate US-Russia investment vehicle that may pursue joint United States Russia projects in areas to be defined. This fund will aim to strengthen the connection and increase joint interests to construct a powerful motivation to not return to conflict.
15. A joint US-Russian Security taskforce can be established to advertise and implement compliance with all the provisions of this agreement.
16. Russia will legislatively enshrine a non-aggression policy towards Europe and Ukraine.
17. The USA and Russia will comply with extend nuclear non-proliferation control treaties, including the START I Treaty.
18. Ukraine agrees to be a non-nuclear state under the NPT (Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons).
19. The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant can be restarted under supervision of the IAEA, and the produced power shall be equitably in a 50-50 split between Russia and Ukraine.
20. Each countries commit to teaching programs in schools and throughout their society that promotes the understanding and tolerance of various cultures and eliminates racism and bias: a. Ukraine will adopt EU rules of spiritual tolerance and the protection of linguistic minorities. b. Each countries comply with repeal all discriminatory measures and guarantee the rights of Ukrainian and Russian media and education. c. All Nazi ideology or activity must be renounced and forbidden.
21. Territories: a. Crimea, Luhansk and Donetsk to be recognized De-Facto as Russian, including by the US. b. Kherson and Zaporizhzhia to be frozen on the contact line, which might mean a De-Facto recognition on the contact line. c. Russia to offer up other agreed upon territories they control outside of the five regions d. Ukrainian forces will withdraw from the a part of Donetsk region that they currently control, and this withdrawal area can be considered a neutral demilitarized buffer zone, internationally recognized as territory belonging to the Russian Federation. Russian forces is not going to enter this demilitarized zone.
22. Once future territorial arrangements have been agreed, each the Russian Federation and Ukraine undertake not to vary these arrangements by force. Any security guarantees is not going to apply within the event of a breach of this obligation.
23. Russia shall not obstruct Ukraine’s use of the Dnieper River for purposes of business activities and agreements can be reached for grain shipments to maneuver freely through the Black Sea.
24. A humanitarian committee can be established to resolve open issues: a. All remaining prisoners and bodies can be exchanged on the principle of ‘all for all’. b. All civilian detainees and hostages can be returned, including children. c. There can be a family reunification program d. Provisions can be made to deal with the suffering of victims from the conflict.
25. Ukraine to carry elections in 100 days.
26. All parties involved on this conflict will receive full amnesty for wartime actions in the course of the war and agree to not pursue claims or further settle grievances.
27. This agreement can be legally binding. Its implementation can be monitored and guaranteed by a Board of Peace, Chaired by President Donald J. Trump. There can be penalties for violation.
28. Upon all sides agreeing to this memorandum, a ceasefire can be immediately effective upon each parties withdrawing to the agreed upon points for the implementation of the agreement to start.
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