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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine stated that proposals for a peace deal negotiated with American diplomats could be finalised in a matter of days. Following this, U.S. representatives will present the terms to the Kremlin.

Negotiations in Berlin Produce Significant Progress, With Critical Obstacles Remain

Following extensive talks in Berlin, US officials reported on Monday that around “90%” of the contentious issues between Russia and Ukraine had been resolved. Despite this optimistic assessment, the path to ending the conflict remains uncertain, especially given the Russian absence from the ongoing discussions.

In the early hours of Tuesday, the Ukrainian president said that the US Congress is expected to consider security guarantees and that a complete package of agreements might be ready “imminently.” He added that, the United States would engage in discussions with Russian representatives, potentially followed by summit-level talks as soon as this coming weekend.

Security Guarantees and Allied Backing

“We are counting on five documents. Several pertain to binding security pledges: legally binding, that is, approved and approved by the United States Congress,” Zelenskyy commented to journalists. He clarified that these guarantees would “reflect article 5” of the Nato alliance.

Earlier, American representatives did not provide precise information regarding the likely contents of the security package or the consequences if Russia attempted to seize additional territory after a peace deal. Officials did confirm that the United States has no plans to place boots on the ground in Ukraine.

Leaders from the United Kingdom, France, and Germany and several additional European countries said in a unified declaration that forces belonging to a “coalition of the willing” could “assist in the rebuilding of Ukrainian military capabilities, in securing Ukrainian airspace, and in ensuring maritime security, including through conducting operations within its territory.”

However, they did not suggesting these actions would constitute guarantees equivalent to NATO's Article 5. In any case, there is scant indication that Russia is anywhere close to accepting the type of package being negotiated between the U.S. and Ukraine.

Kremlin Response and Territorial Dispute

On Tuesday, the Kremlin stated it had not seen the specifics of the proposals on security assurances. Additionally, a senior Russian diplomat, Sergei Ryabkov, declared that Russia would not agree to forces of Nato countries operating in Ukrainian territory “under any circumstances.”

The main sticking point between the Ukrainian team and US negotiators continues to be the territorial question. A key demand involves Ukraine relinquishing the areas of the Donbas it still holds, while the Ukrainian side wants to freeze the lines. “We are discussing the land dispute. You know, it is a central problem. Currently, there is no agreement on it yet,” the president said following the Berlin discussions.

The US negotiation team, led by two senior advisors, has suggested a compromise solution. This framework would see Ukraine pull back, but Russian troops would not move forward, with the demilitarised area becoming “an open economic area.” Moscow has suggested it could use internal security formations instead of the army in such an area, implying it would still seek to maintain authority there.

“I want to stress once again: a ‘special economic zone’ does not mean controlled by Russia. Not legally or in practice will we recognise Donbas – its temporarily occupied part – as belonging to Russia. Absolutely,” stated Zelenskyy.

Next Steps and Potential Outcomes

The way ahead is uncertain how Moscow and Kyiv will proceed on the territorial issue. Zelenskyy has previously suggested that a negotiated arrangement such as a free economic zone might be conceivable if the Ukrainian people approved it in a national vote. The major impediment is expected to arise when the proposals are presented to Russian president Vladimir Putin, who has shown no indication he is willing to compromise on his war aims.

“Should Russia refuse all proposals, we will end up with precisely the situation we are encountering on our flight right now – instability,” said Zelenskyy, recording the comments as his aircraft took off from Berlin.

“I believe the United States will apply sanctions pressure and provide us with more weapons if they reject the deal. I think, that would be a fair request from us to the United States,” he concluded.