The U.S. presented a proposed Ukraine cease-fire plan to European partners, which encompasses possible easing of sanctions against Russia, according to Bloomberg.
reported
On Friday, according to unnamed European officials who have knowledge of the situation.
The proposal was unveiled during discussions in Paris on Thursday, with representatives from Britain, Germany, France, and Ukraine in attendance.
As stated by the U.S. State Department, the proposal
outlines
Washington’s aspiration for a “lasting and durable peace” was echoed in discussions with “all sides,” subsequent to recent conversations between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Bloomberg reported that the U.S. proposal would freeze the war along current front lines, effectively leaving occupied Ukrainian territory under Russia’s control. It would also block Ukraine’s bid to join NATO in exchange for lifting unspecified sanctions.
According to Bloomberg, the suggested framework wouldn’t represent a conclusive agreement and would necessitate additional negotiations with Ukraine. Subsequent discussions are planned for next week in London.
Although the news source didn’t clarify which sanctions might be removed, the Kremlin has stated that sanction alleviation is essential for rebuilding relations with Washington. Specifically, Russian authorities have indicated this as a key point.
pushed
for lifting aviation-related restrictions.
Before leaving France, Rubio
said
any future peace deal could involve rolling back sanctions, and gave negotiators “days” to determine whether a ceasefire is achievable. Last month, however, EU leaders agreed to tighten sanctions against Russia.
On Friday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated
acknowledged
The “challenging” nature of the talks was acknowledged; however, Moscow expressed its continued openness to discussion while asserting its right to defend its interests.
He also
criticized
The discussions in Paris included what he referred to as “appeals to escalate military efforts in Europe and Ukraine rather than pursuing resolutions.”
