Courtesy of Evelyn Hockstein / Pool Photo via AP
PITTSBURGH, PA (PTTP) – Russia and Ukraine officials propose a peace plan and are pushing for new elections in Ukraine.
U.S. Russian officials are pushing for new elections in Ukraine, proposing a peace agreement in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
The groups are seeking terms for a peace agreement and negotiating a meeting with President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The framework involves a potential ceasefire, followed by elections in Ukraine.
The groups, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, agreed to “lay the groundwork for cooperation” with Russia, and agreed to appoint “high-level teams” to work towards ending the conflict. Forcing Ukraine to hold elections could be a key part of the peace deal, with diplomatic sources stating President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has a low chance of reelection.
Diplomatic sources also conclude from the meeting that “Putin assesses the probability of electing a puppet president as quite high and is also convinced that any candidate other than the current President of Ukraine will be more flexible and ready for negotiations and concessions.”
Zelenskyy claims that Ukraine would never accept peace terms negotiated by the U.S. and Russia without involvement from his country. Zelenskyy also claims that he believes Putin is a “little bit scared” of Trump. Despite these claims, European allies are making way into the peace proposal, as the U.K. Prime Minister Kier Starmer announced that he will put British troops on the ground in Ukraine to secure its part of a peace deal.
Russia and Ukraine are making immense progress, but much work has yet to be completed. Zelenskyy cut his trip to the Middle East short following the news of Tuesday’s meeting, and this ongoing meeting is centered around building trust before true details of a peace agreement.