Putin Endorses U.S. Peace Proposal as Foundation for Ukraine Settlement

Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed support for a U.S. peace proposal regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, stating that it could serve as “the basis” for a resolution. During a meeting with senior officials from the Russian Security Council on November 3, 2023, Putin warned that if Ukraine rejects the proposal, Russian forces would continue their advances.

The proposed framework, labeled the “U.S.-Russia-drafted peace plan,” consists of 28 points designed to establish a foundation for peace. It acknowledges Ukraine’s sovereignty but imposes conditions including limiting its military forces to 600,000 personnel, ceding substantial territories to Russia, and permanently barring Ukraine from joining NATO. The proposal requests that NATO agree to “not accept Ukraine at any moment in the future” and prohibits the deployment of NATO troops within Ukraine.

Putin indicated that Russia is willing to show “flexibility” regarding the settlement, as reported by the Ukrainian media outlet Ukrainska Pravda. He described the U.S. proposal as an “upgraded” version of an earlier plan discussed during a summit between Russian and American leaders in August 2023. Despite this, he remarked that the proposal had not been substantively discussed with Russian officials.

“The text has not been discussed with us in any substantive way,” Putin noted, adding that Ukraine seems to maintain “illusions” about achieving a strategic victory over Russia on the battlefield.

Under the terms of the U.S. framework, Russia would commit to a cessation of hostilities and would have the opportunity to reintegrate into the global economy, including discussions regarding potential sanctions relief on a case-by-case basis. Furthermore, Moscow would be invited to rejoin the G7, which had previously been the G8 before Russia’s expulsion in 2014 due to its annexation of Crimea and military actions in eastern Ukraine.

Ukrainian and European officials have voiced criticism of the proposal, suggesting it favors Moscow and warning that capitulating to Russian demands could embolden further aggression against NATO. U.S. President Donald Trump has set a deadline for Ukraine to respond by Thanksgiving Day, next Thursday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine faces a “very difficult choice” regarding the U.S. proposal. He emphasized the dilemma of maintaining national dignity versus risking a vital partnership with Washington.

As the G20 summit is set to take place in South Africa this weekend, allies of Ukraine, including U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, are expected to work on strengthening the U.S. plan. Notably, neither Trump nor Putin will be attending the summit, which may influence discussions surrounding the peace proposal and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.