Ukrainian and European officials pushed back this week against some US proposals on how to end Russia's war in Ukraine, making counterproposals on issues from territory to sanctions, according to the full texts of the proposals seen by Reuters.
The sets of proposals from talks between US, European and Ukrainian officials in Paris on 17 April and in London on 23 April laid bare the inner workings of the shuttle diplomacy under way as US President Donald Trump seeks a quick end to the war.
The primary areas of difference in the two texts are over the sequencing for resolving questions over territory, the lifting of sanctions on Russia, security guarantees and the size of Ukraine's military.
While some of the divergences have been highlighted by sources close to the talks, the documents seen by Reuters set out for the first time the differences in full and explicit detail.
The first text reflects the proposals communicated by Mr Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff to European officials in Paris that were in turn passed to the Ukrainians, according to sources close to the talks.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the proposals as a "broad framework" to identify differences between the sides.
The second text emerged a week later from talks between Ukrainian and European officials in London and has been given to the US side, the sources said.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said yesterday that he thought a document with proposals that emerged from Wednesday's talks in London was now on Mr Trump's desk.
The diplomacy is the most concerted effort to stop the fighting since the first months of Russia's invasion in February 2022. Russia's forces now control nearly a fifth of Ukraine.
On territory, the Witkoff proposals called for de jure US recognition of Russia's control over Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula Moscow seized and annexed in 2014, plus de facto recognition of Russia's hold on areas of southern and eastern Ukraine that Moscow's forces control.
In contrast, the European and Ukrainian document defers detailed discussion about territory until after a ceasefire is concluded, with no mention in the document of recognising Russian control over any Ukrainian territory.
On Ukraine's long-term security, the Witkoff document states Ukraine will have a "robust security guarantee" with European and other friendly states acting as guarantors. It gives no further detail on this but says Ukraine will not seek to join NATO.
The rival document is more specific, stating there will be no limits on Ukrainian forces and no restrictions on Ukraine's allies stationing their military forces on Ukrainian soil - a provision likely to irk Russia.
It proposes robust security guarantees for Ukraine including from the United States with an "Article 5-like agreement", a reference to NATO's mutual defence clause.
On economic measures, the Witkoff proposals say that sanctions in place on Russia since its 2014 annexation of Crimea will be removed as part of the deal under discussion.
The counterproposals say there will be "a gradual easing of sanctions after a sustainable peace is achieved" and that sanctions can be re-instated if Russia breaches the terms of the peace deal.
The European and Ukrainian document also proposes Ukraine receives financial compensation for damage inflicted in the war from Russian assets abroad that have been frozen.
The Witkoff text says only that Ukraine will be compensated financially, without giving the source of the money.
Russia-Ukraine Deal Framework Ceasefire:
* Commit to a full and unconditional ceasefire in the sky, on land and at sea.
* Both sides immediately enter into negotiations on technical implementation with the participation of the US and European countries. This is in parallel to preparation of the agenda and modalities for a full peace deal.
* Ceasefire monitoring, led by the US and supported by third countries.
* Russia must unconditionally return all deported and illegally displaced Ukrainian children. Exchange of all prisoners of war (the principle of "all for all"). Russia must release all civilian prisoners.
Security guarantees for Ukraine:
* Ukraine receives robust security guarantees including from theUS (Article 5-like agreement), while there is no consensus among Allies on NATO membership.
* No restrictions on the Ukrainian Defence Forces.
* The guarantor states will be an ad hoc group of European countries and willing non-European countries. * No restrictions on the presence, weapons and operations of friendly foreign forces on the territory of Ukraine.
* Ukraine pursues accession to the EU.
Territory:
* Territorial issues will be discussed and resolved after a full and unconditional ceasefire.
* Territorial negotiations start from the basis of the line of control.
* Ukraine regains control of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear PowerPlant with US involvement, and also the Kakhovka Dam
* Ukraine enjoys unhindered passages on the Dnieper River and control of the Kinburn Spit.
Economics:
* US and Ukraine implement economic cooperation/minerals agreement.
* Ukraine will be fully reconstructed and compensated financially, including through Russian sovereign assets that will remain frozen until Russia compensates damage to Ukraine.
* US sanctions imposed on Russia since 2014 may be subject to gradual easing after a sustainable peace is achieved and subject to resumption in the event of a breach of the peace agreement (snapback).
