Ukrainian President Zelenskyy Drafts Plan To End War With Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that he is formulating a “comprehensive plan” to end the war with Russia, aiming for global support for the initiative, as reported by Al Jazeera.

During a news conference in Kyiv alongside Slovenian President Natasa Pirc Musar, Zelenskyy emphasized the importance of presenting a plan that would gain widespread international backing. “This is the diplomatic route we are working on,” he stated.

Zelenskyy confirmed that there are currently no negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. Public statements from both Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin indicate that the two sides remain significantly divided over the terms of a potential peace settlement.

Ukraine insists that Russia must withdraw its troops from all internationally recognized Ukrainian territories, including Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014, before any peace talks can commence. Conversely, Putin demands that Ukraine cede additional territories in the east and south, which are currently occupied by Russian forces, as a precondition for peace.

Earlier this month, Zelenskyy hosted a significant international summit in Switzerland, from which Russia was excluded, to garner support for Ukraine’s stance. Leaders and senior officials from over 90 countries attended the two-day summit, and the majority endorsed a final communique emphasizing the need to respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity in any settlement.

Despite ongoing efforts for a diplomatic resolution, Russian troops continue to make slow advances on Ukrainian territory. Moscow recently claimed to have seized another small front-line village and currently occupies about 25% of Ukraine, having annexed four more regions in 2022, none of which they fully control.

At an EU Council Summit in Brussels on Thursday, Zelenskyy announced plans to present a “detailed plan” within months to end the conflict. “We don’t have too much time,” he stressed, highlighting the high casualty rates among both soldiers and civilians.