Russian invasion Negotiations

Ukrainian demand: Set a date for EU entry

Ukraine must be given a specific date for when the country can join the EU. This is what President Volodymyr Zelenskyj said at a press conference on Wednesday, reports the Ukrainian public service company Suspilne.

Zelenskyj wants a specific and binding promise from the EU, “even if it is one, two or three years in the future”. For Ukraine, it is not primarily about trade policy, but Zelenskyj emphasizes that it is one of the most important security guarantees for the future.

At the same time, he says that discussions on the timing of EU entry are currently taking place between the US and Ukraine, while Europe has not yet responded. 

Analysis: The proposal is a compromise – benefits the US

The 20-point proposal for a peace plan between Ukraine and Russia that Volodymyr Zelenskyj presented today is a compromise from Ukraine. The reason is that a demilitarized zone in Donetsk is being opened, says Sveriges Radio's Ukraine correspondent Lubna El-Shanti.

"Previously, Zelensky has dismissed any form of Ukrainian retreat from areas that Ukraine still controls," she says.

A final solution for Ukrainian territories that Russia controls is reportedly still under discussion with the White House. It is clear that US economic interests could benefit greatly from the proposal now presented, writes Constant Méheut in an analytical text in the New York Times.

The plan mentions, among other things, agreements to extract natural resources in Ukraine and a plan for "a leading global financial leader" to organize the country's recovery after the war.

"This is probably a reference to the American company Blackrock, the world's largest asset manager, which has recently been involved in the peace talks on the part of the American side," writes Méheut. 

Source: Russia rejects several parts of new peace proposal

Russia intends to reject several parts of the 20-point peace plan that Ukraine and the United States have drawn up, a source close to the Kremlin told Bloomberg.

The anonymous source says that the Russian side wants to “keep a cool head” while the document is examined in detail. According to the source, Russia wants to see limits on the size of the Ukrainian army and promises that no more countries will join NATO, which is not included in the plan. The Kremlin also wants to know what will happen to Western sanctions and frozen Russian assets in Europe.

Ukraine and Russia are also far apart when it comes to territorial issues. Earlier on Christmas Eve, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that they have not reached a consensus with the United States on this point.