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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine stated that proposals for a ceasefire agreement developed with American diplomats are poised to be completed in a matter of days. Following this, U.S. representatives will present the documentation to the Kremlin.

Berlin Talks Yield Significant Progress, With Critical Obstacles Persist

Following extensive talks in Berlin, US officials reported on Monday that around “90%” of the contentious issues between Russia and Ukraine had been settled. Despite this optimistic assessment, the path to ending the conflict remains uncertain, especially given the Russian lack of participation from the current dialogue.

Early Tuesday morning, the Ukrainian president noted that the US Congress is expected to vote on security guarantees and that a complete package of agreements could be prepared “imminently.” He added that, the U.S. would engage in discussions with Russian representatives, potentially followed by high-level meetings possibly this coming weekend.

Defense Assurances and Allied Backing

“The plan involves five key agreements. Several pertain to binding security pledges: formally ratified, that is, voted on and approved by the United States Congress,” Zelenskyy commented to the press. He stated that these assurances would “reflect article 5” of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Earlier, US officials declined to give precise information regarding the likely contents of the defense package or the consequences if Russia attempted to seize additional territory after a peace deal. Officials did confirm that the United States does not intend to place boots on the ground in the country.

Leaders from the United Kingdom, France, and Germany and several additional European nations issued a joint statement that troops from a “allied coalition” could “assist in the regeneration of Ukrainian military capabilities, in securing Ukraine’s skies, and in supporting safer seas, including through operating inside Ukraine.”

However, they did not proposing these measures would constitute guarantees equivalent to NATO's Article 5. Furthermore, there is little sign that Moscow is near agreeing to the type of package being negotiated between Washington and Kyiv.

Moscow's Stance and Land Issue

On Tuesday, the Kremlin stated it had not received the details of the proposals on security guarantees. Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Sergey Ryabkov, declared that the country would never accept forces of NATO member states being stationed in Ukrainian territory “no matter what.”

The primary obstacle between the Ukrainian team and US negotiators continues to be the territorial question. One proposal involves Kyiv ceding the areas of the Donbas region it still holds, while the Ukrainian side wants to maintain the current front lines. “We are discussing the territorial issue. As is known, it is a central problem. Currently, there is no consensus on it yet,” the president remarked following the Berlin discussions.

The US negotiation team, led by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, has suggested a compromise solution. This framework would see Ukraine pull back, but Russia would not move forward, with the resulting zone established as “a free economic zone.” Russia has suggested it could use police and national guard formations rather than the army in such an area, implying it would still seek to maintain authority there.

“Let me reiterate: a ‘special economic zone’ is not controlled by Moscow. Neither de jure nor de facto do we accept Donbas – its currently occupied areas – as belonging to Russia. Absolutely,” said Zelenskyy.

Path Forward and Potential Outcomes

The way ahead is uncertain how the two sides will proceed on the land question. The Ukrainian leader has previously suggested that a compromise solution like a free economic zone could be conceivable if the Ukrainian people voted for it in a national vote. The major impediment is likely to be when the plans are presented to President Vladimir Putin of Russia, who has given no sign he is prepared to concede on his military objectives.

“Should Russia refuse all proposals, we will end up with precisely the situation we are experiencing on our plane right now – instability,” said the president, making the statement after his plane took off from Berlin.

“I am confident the United States will increase sanction pressure and provide us with additional armaments if he rejects everything. I think, that would be a fair request from us to the United States,” he added.