Security guarantees, territory and nuclear plant stall Ukraine–US peace framework

Key hurdles stall Ukraine–US peace talks

Several major issues remain unsettled in talks between Ukraine and the United States on a possible framework to end Russia’s war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said last week. Referring to a 20-point plan under discussion, Zelenskyy identified the most challenging areas, adding that Kyiv has already shared its position with Washington, which is expected to relay it to Moscow.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that Russia has already been in contact with U.S. representatives following a recent meeting in Florida between Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev and U.S. envoys. He declined to provide further details, saying only: “It was agreed upon to continue the dialogue.”

The outstanding issues include:

Security guarantees

Zelenskyy said talks continue over the nature and scope of security guarantees that would be provided to Ukraine under any agreement. He said several technical issues remain, including how guarantees would be enforced and what monitoring mechanisms would be used to ensure compliance.

Territory

Zelenskyy said the fate of the territories that Russia claims remain the most difficult issue in the talks. He did not provide details, but has repeatedly said Kyiv will not recognize Russian control over occupied regions, including areas seized since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. Zelenskyy has also repeatedly stated Ukraine will not cede territories it currently controls, which Russia has publicly demanded.

Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant

Zelenskyy said the future of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant remains unresolved. The facility, Europe’s largest, has been under Russian control since early on in the war and has raised repeated international safety concerns due to fighting nearby.

Ukraine has been consistent in saying that safe operation of the station requires demilitarization of its territory, where Russia currently has troops stationed. Apart from that, Ukraine has been insisting that Ukrainian workers should be granted full access to the station, which they currently don’t have.

Details previously released in the course of the current negotiations revealed that the U.S. and Ukrainian teams are in discussion of a joint-access format, potentially between all three sides (the U.S., Ukraine, and Russia).

Zelenskyy said further discussions between Ukrainian and U.S. teams are expected, including talks in Florida, and that separate documents on economic recovery and prosperity are also under consideration.

(With AP inputs)