Kremlin signals conditional approach to Zelenskyy’s 20-point peace plan

Russia is preparing to demand a series of changes to the draft 20-point peace plan announced yesterday by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, including tightening restrictions on the Ukrainian military.

A source close to the Kremlin, speaking to Bloomberg on condition of anonymity, stated that the Russian administration sees this document as a “starting point” for future negotiations, but noted that the text lacks many provisions important to the Kremlin and leaves critical questions unanswered.

NATO guarantees and language status requirement

According to the source, the Russian Federation is stipulating guarantees that NATO will not expand eastward in the future, as well as requiring Ukraine to maintain its neutral status even if it joins the European Union (EU).

In the current draft peace agreement, only Kyiv’s non-nuclear status is mentioned.

Moscow also considers the post-war restrictions on the Ukrainian military to be “too light” from its perspective.

While the draft suggests limiting the peacetime personnel of the Ukrainian army to 800,000, the Kremlin wants this number to be lower.

In addition, the Russian side demands clear guarantees regarding the status of the Russian language in Ukraine.

The source emphasized that Russia also seeks clarity on the lifting of sanctions and the status of Russian assets frozen in the West.

Although Russia views the revised document as a plan containing standard Ukrainian demands, it will examine the text “dispassionately.” Bloomberg reported that Russian officials do not intend to reject the document outright to avoid “upsetting” US President Donald Trump.

Peskov: We will formulate our position

Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin has been briefed on the details of the peace plan negotiations conducted with the US, following a meeting between the Russian delegation and the US delegation in Miami.

“All the main parameters of the Russian side’s position are well known to our counterparts in the United States. The task now is to formulate our future position and continue contacts as soon as possible,” Peskov said.

“Free Economic Zone” proposal for the territorial issue

Zelenskyy announced the 20 points of the plan aimed at ending the war with Russia on December 24. According to the draft, a non-aggression pact is envisaged to be signed between Kyiv and Moscow, whose sovereignty will be recorded in the agreement, including monitoring the situation on the line of contact.

Furthermore, the US, NATO, and Europe must provide security guarantees modeled after Article 5 of the NATO Charter, involving a military response to Russia if attacks resume.

Additionally, Russia is expected to legally solidify its policy of non-aggression toward Ukraine and Europe.

One of the most critical issues of the agreement, the territorial matter, has not yet been resolved. According to Ukraine’s proposal, the Russian army would withdraw from the Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Sumy, and Kharkiv oblasts. In the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions, the principle of “we stay where we are” would apply.

Moscow, however, demands the withdrawal of the Ukrainian army from the Donetsk region. Washington has proposed a compromise on this issue in the form of a “free economic zone.”

According to the draft, this option would only be possible through a referendum in Ukraine where the entire document would be voted upon.