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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine stated that proposals for a ceasefire agreement negotiated with American diplomats are poised to be completed in a matter of days. Afterward, American envoys are expected to submit the documentation to the Russian leadership.

Negotiations in Berlin Produce Significant Progress, With Critical Obstacles Persist

Following extensive talks in Berlin, US officials reported on Monday that around “90%” of the disputed points between Russia and Ukraine had been resolved. Despite this optimistic assessment, the path to ending the war is not guaranteed, particularly because the Russian lack of participation from the ongoing discussions.

In the early hours of Tuesday, the Ukrainian president said that the US Congress was anticipated to vote on security guarantees and that a complete package of documents could be prepared “today or tomorrow.” He added that, the U.S. would hold consultations with Russian representatives, leading to high-level meetings possibly this weekend.

Defense Assurances and International Support

“The plan involves five documents. Some of them pertain to security guarantees: formally ratified, that is, voted on and endorsed by the US Congress,” Zelenskyy remarked to journalists. He clarified that these guarantees would “mirror the collective defense clause” of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Earlier, US officials did not provide precise information regarding the probable makeup of the defense package or the consequences if Russia sought to capture additional territory following an agreement. They did, however, confirm that the U.S. does not intend to deploy troops on the ground in the country.

Heads of state from the United Kingdom, France, and Germany and several additional European countries said in a unified declaration that troops from a “coalition of the willing” could “assist in the rebuilding of Ukraine’s forces, in protecting Ukraine’s skies, and in supporting safer seas, including through conducting operations within Ukraine.”

They stopped short, however, of proposing these actions would constitute guarantees matching Nato’s article 5. In any case, there is scant indication that Russia is near agreeing to the kind of arrangement being negotiated between Washington and Kyiv.

Moscow's Stance and Territorial Dispute

On Tuesday, the Russian government said it had not seen the specifics of the proposals on security assurances. Additionally, a senior Russian diplomat, Sergei Ryabkov, declared that the country would never accept troops from Nato countries being stationed in Ukrainian territory “no matter what.”

The main sticking point between the Ukrainian team and US negotiators remains the issue of land. One proposal centers on Ukraine ceding the areas of the Donbas region it currently controls, while Ukraine wants to maintain the current front lines. “We are discussing the land dispute. You know, it is one of the key issues. At this point, there is no consensus on it yet,” Zelenskyy remarked after the Berlin talks.

The US negotiation team, headed by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, has proposed a middle-ground proposal. This framework would see Ukrainian forces withdraw, but Russian troops would not move forward, with the demilitarised area established as “an open economic area.” Russia has indicated it could use police and national guard 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 under the control of Russia. Neither de jure nor de facto will we recognise the Donbas region – its temporarily occupied part – as belonging to Russia. Categorically,” stated President Zelenskyy.

Next Steps and Potential Outcomes

The way ahead is uncertain how the two sides will proceed on the land question. The Ukrainian leader has previously suggested that a compromise solution like a free economic zone might be conceivable if the citizens of Ukraine approved it in a national vote. The critical stumbling block is expected to arise when the plans are put to President Vladimir Putin of Russia, who has given no sign he is willing to compromise on his military objectives.

“Should Russia refuse all proposals, we will face precisely the situation we are encountering on our plane right now – instability,” commented Zelenskyy, making the statement after his plane departed from Berlin.

“I am confident the United States will apply sanctions pressure and provide us with additional armaments if he rejects everything. I think, that would be a fair request from Ukraine to the Americans,” he added.