Russia Cautiously Welcomes Elements of Trump's Ukraine Peace Plan While Seeking Further Discussion

Russia has examined the most recent draft of a US plan aimed at ending the Ukraine conflict and finds certain aspects favorable, though the Kremlin expressed desire for further discussions on other elements, according to Wednesday's statement.

Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov informed a Russian state television reporter that the new draft requires "truly serious analysis" and confirmed that Russia had not yet engaged in discussions about it with any party.

The peace plan has not been publicly released at this time.

US President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that this version represents a "fine-tuned" iteration of an earlier 28-point proposal previously rejected by Kyiv and European nations. Trump stated he was dispatching officials to meet with both conflicting parties in hopes of reaching a final agreement.

Regarding the plan, Ushakov remarked on Wednesday: "Some aspects can be viewed positively, but many require special discussions among experts."

The original proposal, widely criticized throughout Europe as excessively accommodating to Moscow's demands, would have required Ukraine to withdraw from its eastern Donetsk region while the US would effectively recognize Russian control over Donetsk, Crimea, and Lugansk regions.

Ukraine later indicated it had reached an "understanding" with the United States, stating that following discussions in Geneva, both sides had modified some points that Kyiv had objected to.

It remains unclear which specific points were removed or retained, and substantial differences persist between Russia's and Ukraine's negotiating positions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale military assault on Ukraine in February 2022, describing it as a "special military operation".

Kyiv and its European allies characterize the conflict—the largest and deadliest on European soil since World War II—as an unprovoked and illegal territorial seizure that has triggered widespread violence and destruction.

The war has resulted in tens of thousands of civilian and military casualties and forced millions of Ukrainians to flee their homes.

US special envoy Steve Witkoff is scheduled to meet with President Putin in Moscow next week to advance the US administration's plan, while US army secretary Dan Driscoll will engage with Ukrainian officials, according to Trump.

Ushakov, a senior Russian diplomat and Putin advisor, emphasized Wednesday that Russia requires "serious discussions" regarding the document.

"The peace plan hasn't been discussed in detail with anyone yet," he told a state TV reporter.

US officials expressed optimism Tuesday about efforts to end the war, while acknowledging significant unresolved issues concerning the plan.

Ukraine's European allies, who viewed the original 28-point plan as essentially a list of Kremlin demands, have warned against making excessive concessions to Moscow.

These allies developed their own counter-proposal to the original plan, which Russia promptly rejected.

EU Commission Chief Ursula von der Leyen stated Wednesday that recent negotiations to refine the US plan had begun establishing groundwork for a potential settlement.

However, she cautioned that Russia showed no genuine interest in halting hostilities.

"I want to be clear from the very outset: Europe will stand with Ukraine and support Ukraine every step of the way," she told EU lawmakers.

As diplomatic initiatives continued, Ukraine reported another night of aerial attacks.

A Russian drone strike on the southern Ukrainian region of Zaporizhzhia overnight wounded more than a dozen people and damaged numerous homes, according to governor Ivan Fedorov.