The United States is discussing a possible peace agreement for the war in Ukraine, which includes a number of concessions to Russia, The Economist reports. Among the proposals are the creation of a demilitarized zone in Donbas, an investment package for Ukraine and the country's membership in the European Union in exchange for refusing to join NATO.
According to the publication, the plan could allow Russia to conclude business deals with American companies. Also being discussed are easing sanctions, normalizing political relations between Washington and Moscow, as well as the possibility of restoring Russian gas supplies to Europe and the operation of the “Nord Stream“ gas pipeline.
Ukrainian negotiators fear that economic interests may turn out to be more important for some participants in the process than achieving sustainable peace. According to them, President Donald Trump's envoys can make lucrative deals with Russia before Ukraine has agreed on terms acceptable to them for ending the war and reliable security guarantees.
Warnings about the American approach
A US government official told The Economist that with his latest actions, Trump is not trying to force Ukraine to capitulate, but has become the victim of a “successful information operation“ by Russia.
The publication points out that US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, according to its journalists, mistakenly view Russian President Vladimir Putin's motives as economic and territorial, rather than nationalistic. This, according to the publication, makes American officials more vulnerable to Russian manipulation.
The restriction of Starlink's work in Ukraine may have seemed like a diplomatic warning, but it had consequences on the battlefield. For Moscow, it was the culmination of a period in which Trump concluded a diesel deal with Russia and postponed the introduction of new sanctions under Senator Lindsey Graham's law.
The political risk for Kiev
According to The Economist, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's criticism of Trump's "weak decisions" is likely related to the expectation that a possible loss of Republicans in the midterm elections would weaken the US president's position.
However, a US congressman warns that this assumption may turn out to be wrong. If Democrats regain control of Congress and launch more active investigations into Trump, he could become even more aggressive, which would not be in Ukraine's interest.
Meanwhile, Russia continues to strike energy facilities in Ukraine before winter. According to the publication, Moscow will likely try to drag out the negotiations in order to obtain additional concessions, including the lifting or easing of sanctions.
Analysts from the Institute for the Study of War believe that the Kremlin is using its stated interest in negotiations to seek economic concessions from the United States and continue to finance its military actions. Romanian President Nikusor Dan also warns that Russia is seeking escalation, not an end to the war, citing Moscow's increasing provocations in the European Union.
Sources: unian.net