Russia plans to push for revisions to the latest US-backed peace plan aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, seeking stricter limits on Ukraine’s military and clarity on sanctions and frozen Russian assets, according to Bloomberg.
Citing a source close to the Kremlin, Bloomberg reported that Moscow views the 20-point plan developed by Ukraine and the United States as a preliminary framework rather than a final proposal. The source described the document as a starting point for further negotiations, saying it does not address several issues Russia considers essential.
The source said the Kremlin regards the proposal as reflecting Ukraine’s position and intends to review it carefully. Russian President Vladimir Putin has not publicly commented on the plan, which Bloomberg said was drafted over weeks of discussions involving officials from the United States, Ukraine, and Russia.
According to the report, Russia has not endorsed the plan but is also reluctant to reject it outright, as it does not want to risk straining relations with US President Donald Trump. Trump said earlier this week that negotiations were progressing and that an agreement could be reached.
Bloomberg reported that Russia is seeking guarantees against further eastward expansion of NATO and wants Ukraine to maintain neutral status, even if it joins the European Union. The Kremlin is also pushing for limits on the size and capabilities of Ukraine’s postwar armed forces and for assurances regarding the status of the Russian language in Ukraine.
In addition, Russia wants clarity on the lifting of Western sanctions and the fate of hundreds of billions of dollars in Russian state assets frozen abroad. The report said Moscow is also seeking control over remaining territory in eastern Donetsk that Russian forces have not occupied during nearly four years of fighting.
Ukraine has rejected this demand, citing concerns that surrendering fortified territory would leave the country vulnerable to renewed Russian attacks, Bloomberg reported.
The article also noted recent US-Russia contacts. On December 20 and 21, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner met in the United States with Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund. Following those meetings, Witkoff said Russia remained committed to pursuing peace, while Dmitriev described the talks with US officials in Florida as constructive.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that territorial issues should be decided by the Ukrainian people through elections or a referendum. He later clarified that a referendum is not currently under consideration, and that Ukraine’s negotiating team is continuing to explore possible solutions.
