Volodymyr Zelensky offers details on the new 20-point plan for Ukraine
Zelensky told reporters that White House emissaries have already passed the aforementioned plan on to the Kremlin envoy
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has presented in detail the 20-point peace plan drawn up by Kyiv and Washington to achieve peace with Russia.
In a conversation with journalists on Tuesday, December 23, which Ukrainian media reported on the following day, Zelensky He reiterated that White House emissaries have already conveyed the aforementioned plan to the Kremlin envoy. The next contacts between Washington and Moscow are expected to take place on Wednesday, December 24.
NATO and Territorial Issues
Zelensky asserted that the new version of the US plan to end the war with Russia does not require Ukraine to formally renounce NATO membership, which was a major demand from Moscow. “It will be NATO that decides whether or not it wishes to admit Ukraine as a member. And our decision has been made. We have abandoned the idea of ??amending the Ukrainian Constitution to state that the country will not join NATO,” Zelensky explained.
Furthermore, the Ukrainian president said that the US and Ukrainian negotiating teams failed to reach an agreement on long-term territorial issues. “We have not reached a consensus with the US side regarding the territory of the Donetsk region and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear facility,” he stated. “We are prepared to meet with the United States at the leaders' level to address sensitive issues,” he added. On the other hand, the president reiterated his willingness to reach a territorial compromise in Donbas, one of the points that remain unresolved.
Referendum in Ukraine to approve the plan
If Russia were to accept the new peace plan, it could either be submitted to a referendum, which could be held at the same time as presidential elections, or be sent to the Ukrainian Parliament for ratification.
“Ukraine will submit this agreement for ratification by Parliament (…) and/or hold a nationwide referendum for its approval in a 'yes' or 'no' format. Ukraine could decide to hold elections simultaneously with the referendum,” he commented.He also reported that the security guarantees provided for in the plan can only come into effect if the agreement is ratified in a binding manner or approved by referendum.