Zelenskyy unveils 20-point plan for peace, including U.S. guarantees and Russian withdrawal

Speaking with journalists, Zelenskyy described the document as a “basic agreement on ending the war,” which Ukraine has discussed with international partners.

The points of the draft agreement are:

1. Recognition of Ukraine’s sovereignty.
2. Strong security guarantees.
3. Armed Forces of Ukraine to maintain a peacetime strength of 800,000 troops.
4. The U.S., NATO, and European signatories will provide Ukraine with security guarantees equivalent to NATO’s Article 5.
5. Russia will enshrine its non-aggression policy toward Europe and Ukraine in all necessary laws and ratification documents.
6. Ukraine will join the EU by a clearly defined date and receive short-term privileged access to the European market.
7. A robust global development package for Ukraine will be approved.
8. Ukraine will accelerate the process of signing a free trade agreement with the U.S. following the peace deal.
9. Ukraine reaffirms its status as a non-nuclear state.
10. Elections in Ukraine will be held “as soon as possible” after the agreement is signed.
11. The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is to be managed jointly by Ukraine, the United States, and Russia. Zelenskyy noted this remains one of the most difficult issues in the negotiations. Ukraine insists on joint control only with the U.S., while Washington pushes for a trilateral management format.
12. For the agreement to take effect, Russia must withdraw its forces from Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Sumy, and Kharkiv oblasts. In Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhya, and Kherson oblasts, the troop positions as of the agreement date will be recognized as the de facto line of contact. A potential free economic zone in Donbas is also being discussed, involving a demilitarized area where international forces would guarantee order and security. Ukraine is prepared to hold a referendum in government-controlled areas to approve this.
13. Ukraine will have unrestricted commercial access to the Black Sea and the Dnipro River.
14. Exchange of prisoners of war and return of civilian hostages.
15. Creation of recovery funds for Ukraine’s economy.
16. Educational programs in schools to promote tolerance and fight racism, aligning national standards with EU rules.
17. Both Russia and Ukraine commit not to alter the agreement by force.
18. The agreement will be legally binding, with compliance monitored by a Peace Council chaired by U.S. President Donald Trump.
19. A full ceasefire will take effect after the agreement is signed.
20. A separate investment agreement will outline an economic development package.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine is currently awaiting an official response from Moscow.

“Then we will understand our next steps and the possible timeframes for certain decisions,” he said.

He also noted that Ukraine is ready for a high-level meeting with the United States to address unresolved and sensitive issues.

“This is not yet a document agreed upon by all sides, but it already contains a certain logic for how the war is proposed to be ended,” Zelenskyy said.

Rustem Umerov, secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council and head of the Ukrainian delegation, said on Dec. 21 that a series of “constructive and productive meetings” with American and European partners had taken place over the previous three days.

U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance also said there had been “progress” in negotiations to end the war but warned that “there is still no confidence in a peaceful settlement at this stage.”