Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky offered a rare and detailed look on Thursday into the proposals emerging from U.S.-brokered negotiations aimed at ending the nearly four-year conflict with Russia. Speaking in Kyiv after a series of high-level briefings, Zelensky said diplomats are now grappling with two of the war’s most sensitive issues: the political and military future of the Donetsk region, and who will control the embattled Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.
According to Zelensky, U.S. negotiators have floated the creation of a new administrative area in parts of Donetsk still held by Ukraine – a zone Washington has described as a “special economic” or “free economic” district. The concept would require Ukrainian troops to withdraw from certain positions in exchange for a Russian pledge not to move forward. Moscow, however, has framed the idea as a “demilitarized zone” and continues to demand that Kyiv give up roughly a third of the territory it currently controls.
Zelensky dismissed the notion of a one-sided withdrawal, warning it would leave Ukrainian towns exposed and vulnerable to infiltration. “There must be equal movement from both sides,” he said, adding that any pullback must be verifiable and enforceable. Ukrainian officials fear that ceding ground in Donetsk could effectively hand Russia a new staging point for future offensives.
Negotiators are also examining options for the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which has remained under Russian occupation since the earliest months of the war. One emerging idea, according to Zelensky, involves the withdrawal of Russian forces and a joint management structure involving Ukraine and the United States. Details remain vague, and Zelensky signaled doubts that Moscow would agree to such an arrangement.
The talks unfold amid growing frustration inside the White House. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff continues to mediate but described President Donald Trump as increasingly impatient. “He is tired of meetings that lead nowhere,” she said, though she acknowledged the U.S. is prepared to send representatives for more discussions as early as this weekend if progress appears possible.
Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine has delivered an updated 20-point peace framework to Washington, including separate documents on reconstruction and long-term security guarantees. Still, he cautioned that the final phase of negotiations is the most precarious. “The last mile is always the hardest. He warned that the entire situation could disintegrate in an instant, adding that the fierce, ongoing combat-and Russia’s slow but steady gains-are directly dictating the course of the negotiations.
European governments are also attempting to shape the outcome. Leaders from Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and nearly 30 allied states convened urgent consultations with Zelensky under the banner of a “Coalition of the Willing.” German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said European capitals have proposed a joint effort with U.S. officials to finalize a peace outline, with a follow-up session potentially taking place in Berlin next week.
Russia, meanwhile, has signaled cautious engagement. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov praised Trump’s efforts and said recent discussions between Vladimir Putin and Witkoff had “cleared up misunderstandings.” Lavrov claimed Moscow has offered “additional proposals” related to regional security and is prepared to give legal assurances it will not attack NATO or European Union countries. On the battlefield, Russian commanders said their forces hold the “strategic initiative” and announced the capture of Siversk – a claim Ukraine denied.
Despite the diplomatic activity, Zelensky expressed skepticism about Moscow’s broader intentions and questioned what undisclosed arrangements Washington might be discussing with Russia. He also warned that U.S. military backing – including weapons and intelligence – might not last indefinitely, making a durable peace agreement even more urgent.
Even as negotiations continued, the war showed no signs of slowing. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte warned that Europe must prepare for further Russian aggression, revealing that more than 46,000 missiles and drones have been launched at Ukraine this year alone. In an escalation of Kyiv’s long-range capabilities, Ukrainian drones reportedly struck a Russian-owned oil platform in the Caspian Sea – the first attack of its kind – and separate drone operations forced the closure of all four major Moscow airports overnight.
With no deadline for an agreement and both armies still trading blows, Zelensky said the path to peace remains uncertain. But he insisted Ukraine would not accept terms that undermine its sovereignty or leave its citizens exposed. “We will move forward,” he said, “but not blindly.”
