Russia wants to retain the Ukrainian territories it has seized and obtain the entire Donbas, including the parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions that are under Kyiv’s control. This is one of the options being discussed in unofficial negotiating circles for ending the war, the German newspaper Bild reports.
According to the description of the proposal, Ukraine must accept non-aligned status and abandon its bid for NATO membership. At the same time, the possibility of the country joining the European Union is not ruled out.
Restrictions on Ukrainian ports
The Russian plan envisages the ports of Odesa and Mykolaiv being demilitarized so that they cannot be used as naval bases. It also includes agreements on freedom of navigation in the Black and Baltic Seas.
The proposals also concern the future security architecture of Europe. Moscow wants NATO not to deploy military bases in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and also wants Finland to leave the Alliance. According to the publication, these conditions were presented to European representatives during negotiations in Abu Dhabi.
Proposals for Moldova as well
The plan also includes changes to Moldova’s state structure. Russia proposes transforming the country into a federal republic comprising Moldova, the autonomous region of Gagauzia and the unrecognized Transnistria.
If Moldova were to join the European Union, Transnistria and Gagauzia would have to be given the opportunity to hold referendums on independence. In return, the Russian side offers to withdraw nuclear weapons from Belarus, abandon the deployment there of intermediate-range missiles and withdraw its troops from Transnistria.
Putin’s approval has not been confirmed
Bild emphasizes that this is only one of several options being discussed as part of the negotiations. “Several groups of mediators are operating in parallel, including groups linked to the military. They are competing with one another, and it is not known for now whether Vladimir Putin has backed this particular plan,” the publication writes.
Against this backdrop, Jared Kushner has said that a new round of negotiations could take place as early as next week. Steve Witkoff has expressed a desire for European countries to join the talks.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Moscow will not accept the presence of foreign troops on Ukrainian territory as part of the security guarantees. According to him, the deployment of European forces would lead to a resumption of the war. Putin also rejected the idea of creating a special zone in Donbas, saying that this could trigger a new conflict.
Sources: unian.net