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Topics: US News, World News, Ukraine, Russia, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Vladimir Putin
Brenna Cooper
Topics: US News, World News, Ukraine, Russia, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Vladimir Putin
Details from Donald Trump's proposed peace plan between Russia and Ukraine would see the US leader allow Vladimir Putin's forces to annex occupied territory.
Trump's promise of finding a swift end to Russia's invasion of neighbouring Ukraine hasn't gone as smoothly as the Republican leader would've expected since taking office in January.
A total ceasefire is yet to be found, meaning the 78-year-old's quest for peace has so far only involved having a public spat with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy, while Putin's forces continue to shell various areas of the country.
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However, it would seem US officials have begun their final push to secure peace between Russia and Ukraine ahead of talks in London today (23 April), in which US envoy Keith Kellogg will represent Trump's interests.
And it would appear that Trump is willing to take drastic steps in order to stop the fighting.
According to a report from The Telegraph, the proposed seven-point peace deal would see a freezing of the current front line, seeing Ukraine losing nearly all of the territory currently occupied by Russian forces and receiving no clear guarantee of US security.
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There are small concessions for President Zelenskyy, as Russian forces would be expected to withdraw from two areas currently occupied. Under this agreement, Ukraine would regain access to the mouth of the Dnieper River and parts of Kherson Oblast.
The US would also recognise Russian control over the Crimean peninsula, an area of Ukraine which Russia has occupied since 2014.
According to The Telegraph, the first steps of the unconfirmed plan would see an immediate ceasefire, followed by direct talks between Russia and Ukraine.
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Point three would see Ukraine abandon its NATO ambitions, however, it would still be free to seek membership of the European Union.
Point four would deal with territory, including plans to freeze the current frontline and allow Russia to annex most of the territory it's annexed. Unlike Crimea, it's not clear if this would involve formal recognition of the territory from the US.
Meanwhile, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is currently held by Russia, would be handed over to the US.
The final points would see America and Ukraine sign the widely publicised minerals deal, before finally broaching the prospect of normalising relations between the US and Russia.
This would include lifting the current sanctions placed on Russia by the US.
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It's unclear if the reported peace plan would be accepted by both Russia and Ukraine, with today's talks allowing an opportunity for Ukrainian officials to put forward their vision for peace in the region.
The news comes after US officials suggested they would abandon hopes of achieving peace in Ukraine if progress wasn't made soon.
"We need to determine very quickly now - and I'm talking about a matter of days - whether or not this is doable," US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters last week (via BBC).
"If it's not going to happen, then we're just going to move on."