The US government, under President Donald Trump, may reveal its long-awaited Ukraine peace plan next week at the Munich Security Conference in Germany. Bloomberg, citing sources familiar with the matter, reported this possibility.
Trump’s special peace envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, is expected to present the plan. While details remain undisclosed, US officials have hinted at a “peace through strength” approach.
And guess what, according to leaked details of the plan, the Trump administration might be looking ready to recognise Russia’s authority over the annexed regions of Ukraine, officially.
Reports suggest that the proposal could freeze the conflict without deciding the fate of Russian-occupied areas in eastern Ukraine. Another key point is a guarantee from Moscow that it will never attack Ukraine again.
Newsweek reports that the plan would require Kyiv to recognise Russian control over annexed territories.
Additionally, Ukrainian forces would have to withdraw from Russia’s Kursk region, where they launched a counteroffensive in August. A European military force, possibly including British troops, would monitor a demilitarized zone, but US troops would not take part.
The European Union is expected to help rebuild Ukraine, with reconstruction costs estimated at $486 billion (£392 billion) over the next decade, according to the German Marshall Fund.
Under the leaked peace plan, Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin would speak by phone within days, followed by an in-person meeting in late February or early March. A formal ceasefire would be declared on April 20.
By May 9, both sides would announce the agreed terms for ending the war. Ukraine would then be asked to stop extending martial law and halt military mobilization.
Trump also wants to organize an International Peace Conference, bringing together key nations to negotiate an end to the war, which has reportedly cost Ukraine over 45,000 soldiers, according to Zelensky.
Kellogg previously indicated that the US would push for elections in Ukraine once a breakthrough is achieved. On February 5, he confirmed that he would attend the summit in Germany. US knows Zelensky is a highly unpopular leader in Ukraine. By pushing for elections as soon as possible, the Trump administration is trying to get rid of him.
On the other hand, the US has intensified its communication with Russia. The Kremlin has acknowledged more frequent contact with the Trump administration in recent days. On February 5, Russian officials also praised Trump for stating that the West made a mistake by drawing Ukraine closer to NATO. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that communication between various departments had increased but didn’t share further details.
Zelensky, who once vowed to not to talk to Putin until Ukrainian territories are freed, is also falling in line.
He recently expressed willingness to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling him an “enemy.” In an interview with British journalist Piers Morgan, Zelensky said he would accept any setup that brings peace and prevents further loss of life. However, he made it clear that he would not be “kind” to Putin.
This is a major shift in Zelensky’s approach. Zelensky also agrees with Trump on the idea of sharing Ukraine’s rare earth minerals with the US in exchange for military and economic aid. He stated that discussions about this took place during his visit to the US in September last year, ahead of the presidential elections.
Taking into account all indications from Zelensky, Moscow and the Trump administration, it looks like that a peace plan has already been reached among the key stakeholders; just a formal announcement is pending.
