Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has indicated he is willing to pull Ukrainian troops back from parts of the eastern Donetsk region still under Kyiv’s control and establish a demilitarized zone under potential peace terms.

Why It Matters

Seemingly irreconcilable positions on territory have repeatedly stalled peace talks pushed by the U.S. since President Donald Trump was reelected for his second term in office. Zelensky’s comments offer some hint that weeks of labored discussions have yielded steps toward a deal to end Europe’s largest land war in decades, although obstacles do still remain to the inking of a final agreement.

What To Know

Zelensky told reporters on Tuesday that one option could see a “free economic zone” in demilitarized areas of eastern Ukraine, according to local media. While this plan would require Russia to also pull out its forces from parts of the east, Moscow has not indicated it is willing to do so.

Kyiv’s leadership would put this proposal to a public vote, according to domestic reports. A second option outlined by the Ukrainian president could effectively freeze the conflict along the four mainland regions Russia has claimed to have annexed, which would be monitored by international forces.

Russia has claimed to have annexed the two eastern Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk—collectively known as the Donbas—as well as the southern Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions. Moscow also seized the Crimean Peninsula in 2014. The Kremlin has been unwilling to give up its claims to these five regions, whereas Kyiv has consistently vowed to reclaim the territories, noting that giving up land would be against its constitution.

Currently, Russia controls the majority of Donetsk, but Ukraine still holds chunks of the bitterly contested region. The Kremlin has stated it would seize the rest by force if necessary, though analysts suggest this could take years.

Territorial disputes remain “the most difficult point” of the agreement, Zelensky told reporters. Several other issues, including the size of Ukraine’s military and control over nuclear facilities, have consistently hampered negotiations. Zelensky admitted that Ukrainian negotiators had “not reached consensus” with the U.S. on Donetsk or on who would be responsible for the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe’s largest nuclear site, which has been in Russia’s grip since the early days of the full-scale war in 2022.

“But we have significantly aligned most positions,” Zelensky said. He presented the media with a revised 20-point peace plan on Tuesday. Among the points in the current draft document are a commitment to sovereignty, the country’s accession to the European Union, and pledges of “Article 5-like” security guarantees from the U.S., NATO, and European signatories.

While Ukraine had argued that admission to NATO was the only way to ensure Russia did not restart its invasion, Moscow deemed Kyiv’s membership in the alliance off the table. Under NATO’s Article 5, an attack on one member state is deemed an assault on all.

What People Are Saying

“We are working actively and doing everything necessary to ensure that the documents come to fruition and that they are realistic,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his evening address on Tuesday.

“We sense that America wants to reach a final agreement, and from our side, there is full cooperation,” Zelensky added.

A Ukrainian delegation has been in Florida in recent days to discuss the proposal. Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, described the talks on Sunday as “productive and constructive.”

The initial 28-point proposal formulated by the U.S. last month had sparked alarm in Kyiv and among Ukraine’s allies, as it was viewed as rewarding Russia. However, regarding the new developments, Zelensky noted that the U.S. had proposed instating “free economic zones” in a bid to break the deadlock.

What Happens Next

Ukrainian negotiators are expecting a response from Russian officials later on Wednesday regarding the revised plan.

The current document also outlines plans for rebuilding a post-war Ukraine and for holding elections. While the U.S. and Ukraine edge closer to a joint plan, Moscow’s response remains uncertain. The Kremlin has maintained a hardline stance on territorial control, and it remains to be seen if the proposed economic zones or security guarantees will be enough to bring Russia to a final agreement.