Europe fears U.S. peace plan could open door to new Russian invasion of Donbas

According to the sources, the main fear expressed during recent negotiations is that the U.S. proposal to create a demilitarized zone could give Russia cover to covertly deploy military forces into the contested area.

The report notes that the Kremlin could resort to hybrid tactics — including false-flag operations — to undermine U.S. security guarantees and lay the groundwork for a fresh military campaign.

On Dec. 11, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told reporters that under the peace plan currently being developed by the United States, Ukraine, and Russia, American officials have proposed designating the non-occupied part of Donetsk Oblast a “free economic zone.”

He also said that any territorial decisions included in the U.S. plan to end the war must be approved by the Ukrainian people — through either elections or a referendum.

“But Russia could exploit any withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from territory currently under Kyiv’s control. That’s why Europe’s top priority in the coming days and weeks is to ensure that any peace agreement includes no Russian Trojan horse,” the sources said.

Bloomberg noted that although Russian dictator Vladimir Putin likely remains committed to his maximalist goals in Ukraine, a key question is whether Moscow will reject any peace deal outright — or tactically support U.S. efforts to broker an agreement in the coming weeks.

Beyond the risk of covert deployments and hybrid attacks, European officials also fear the Kremlin could interfere in potential referendums or elections held after a peace deal is signed, the sources added.

Zelenskyy is expected to visit Berlin on Dec. 15 for talks with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and other European leaders, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, to continue negotiations.

Ahead of that meeting, national security advisers from Ukraine, the U.S., and European countries are expected to hold discussions on the draft proposals.

Peter Ricketts, former U.K. national security adviser, said European fears about the proposed demilitarized zone are well-founded.

“As soon as U.S. attention shifts to something else, Putin could ‘manufacture incidents as a pretext’ for a new offensive — for example, claiming to defend Russian speakers,” Ricketts said.

“That would leave the rest of Ukraine vulnerable to the next Russian advance. So this is not just a technical detail — it’s a fundamental issue for Ukraine and for European security,” he added.

Earlier, Politico reported that the peace plan includes provisions for creating a “free economic zone” in Donbas, where U.S. business interests could operate — a move seen as a way to gain the support of U.S. President Donald Trump.

At the same time, Zelenskyy clarified that the U.S. proposal calls for Ukraine to withdraw its forces from the area — but emphasized that troops from Russia, the aggressor state, must not be allowed to enter it. It remains unclear who would be in charge of administering the zone.

Zelenskyy also said the U.S. wants a clear picture of the status of the peace agreement process by Christmas. However, there is currently no fixed deadline for completing the deal.