They write Barak Ravid, and Dave Lawler
Η The Trump administration is secretly working, in consultation with Russia, to draft a new plan that would end the war in Ukraine, American and Russian officials reveal to Axios.
Why it matters: The 28-point US plan is inspired by President Trump's successful Gaza deal. A senior Russian official told Axios he is optimistic about the plan. It is not yet clear how Ukraine and its European backers will react.
Details: The 28 points of the plan are classified, according to Axios' sources, into four general sections: peace in Ukraine, security guarantees, security in Europe, and future US relations with Russia and Ukraine.
It remains unclear how the plan approaches contentious issues, such as control of territory in eastern Ukraine – where Russian forces are gradually advancing but still control far less territory than the Kremlin has demanded.
In the background: Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, is leading the drafting of the plan and has discussed it extensively with Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev, according to a US official.
Dmitriev, who runs Russia's sovereign wealth fund and also plays a major role in diplomacy on Ukraine, told Axios in an interview on Monday that he spent three days in closed consultations with Witkov and other members of the Trump team when he visited Miami from October 24 to 26.
Dmitriev expressed optimism about the deal's chances of success, because – unlike previous attempts – "we feel that the Russian position is really being heard."
The other side: Vitkov was scheduled to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday in Turkey, but postponed his trip, according to Ukrainian and American officials.
Vitkov had discussed the plan with Zelensky's national security adviser, Rustam Umerov, in a meeting earlier this week in Miami, a Ukrainian official confirmed to Axios.
"We know that the Americans are working on something," the Ukrainian official said.
"The president has made it clear that it is time to stop the killing and reach an agreement to end the war. President Trump believes there is a possibility of ending this senseless war, as long as flexibility is shown," a US White House official told Axios.
The situation: Dmitriev told Axios that the basic idea was to take the principles agreed upon by Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska in August, and create a proposal “that addresses the conflict in Ukraine, but also how to restore U.S.-Russia relations [and] address Russia’s security concerns.”
“It’s actually a much broader framework, which basically says, ‘How can we finally bring lasting security to Europe, not just to Ukraine,’” he said.
The goal is to produce a written document based on these principles before the next Trump-Putin meeting, according to Dmitriev. Plans for a summit between the two leaders in Budapest remain on hold for now.
Friction point: Dmitriev said that the current effort has absolutely nothing to do with the UK's initiative to draft a Gaza-style peace plan for Ukraine, which he described as doomed to failure because it ignores Russia's positions.
The Russian envoy said that the American side is now in the process of explaining the "benefits" of its current approach to Ukrainians and Europeans.
"All of this is happening while Russia is clearly having additional successes on the battlefield," he added, arguing that Moscow's negotiating power is increasing.
What to watch: The American official confirmed that the White House has begun briefing European officials about the new plan, in addition to the Ukrainians.
He said that the White House believes there is a real possibility of securing the support of the Ukrainians and the Europeans, and noted that the plan will be adjusted based on the suggestions of the various sides.
"We believe that now is the right time for this plan. But both sides need to be practical and realistic," the US official said.
Source AXIOS
photo WiR_Pixs, https://pixabay.com
