Journalism of Courage
The Ukrainian government has reportedly agreed to a peace deal brokered by the Donald Trump administration to stop the war that has been going on for nearly four years. A US official and Ukraine’s national security adviser, Rustem Umerov, told CBS News that a common understanding on a proposal had been reached, with details still to be worked out.
“The Ukrainians have agreed to the peace deal,” the US official told CBS News. “There are some minor details to be sorted out, but they have agreed to a peace deal.”
US and Ukrainian officials are trying to narrow the gaps between them over a peace plan, with core issues still unresolved and Ukraine wary of being strong-armed into accepting a deal largely on the Kremlin’s terms.
Meanwhile, a US delegation is in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to meet Russian officials to discuss the peace plan.
The US delegation, led by Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, is holding talks with Russian officials in Abu Dhabi, Axios reported.
“Late Monday and throughout Tuesday, Secretary Driscoll and team have been in discussions with the Russian delegation to achieve a lasting peace in Ukraine. The talks are going well and we remain optimistic. Secretary Driscoll is closely synchronized with the White House…as these talks progress,” US Army Lieutenant Colonel Jeff Tolbert, a spokesperson for Driscoll, said.
US President Donald Trump had proposed a 28-point peace plan last week to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
The plan would require Ukraine to cede more territory, accept curbs on its military and bar it from ever joining NATO – conditions Kyiv has long rejected as tantamount to surrender.
Trump had initially set Tuesday as the deadline for Ukraine to accept the peace deal. However, there are growing concerns, especially in Europe, that the Trump administration might be willing to push Ukraine to sign a peace deal heavily tilted toward Moscow.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who could visit the US in the next few days, said the process of producing a final document would be difficult.
Ukrainian and US officials who met to discuss the peace deal agreed that the most sensitive issue of territorial concessions would be discussed leader-to-leader, between Presidents Trump and Zelenskyy.
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said that an amended peace plan must reflect the “spirit and letter” of an understanding reached between Putin and Trump at their Alaska summit in August.
