A shock phone call between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to begin negotiations to end the Ukraine war, with both sides having different ideas on what a peace deal should look like.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky is adamant that his country must not be left out of any peace talks, while French President Emmanuel Macron warned that any agreement involving capitulation to Russia would end “badly for everyone”.
The key issues to discuss in the negotiations include territory, security, and Ukraine’s future in NATO. Moscow currently controls around a fifth of Ukraine’s territory, mainly in the south and east.
Ukraine has insisted on the full withdrawal of Russian troops from its borders, including Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk. Russia, however, wants to annex these regions as part of Russia despite not controlling all the territory.
A possible compromise is for Russia-held territories in Ukraine to be swapped with Ukrainian-controlled territory in Russia’s western Kursk region. However, the Kremlin has ruled out this option.
Ukraine also wants to join NATO, arguing that membership is the best way to ensure its security. However, Russia has consistently opposed this idea, fearing it would bring NATO forces too close to its borders.
NATO members have argued that Ukraine should become a member in the future, but US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has downplayed the likelihood of Nato membership for Ukraine in any peace settlement.
The negotiations will also discuss security guarantees, with Zelensky saying that signals from the US are “strong” but “varied”. The US vice-president has said sending troops to Ukraine is “still on the table” should Russia fail to negotiate a peace deal in good faith.
Ultimately, a peace deal for Ukraine will require compromise and cooperation between both sides.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crlkypydyn6o