Moscow, Dec 27 (IANS) The potential crisis resolution plan that Kyiv is reportedly proposing differs significantly from the one that Moscow and Washington are working on, a Russian official said.
The settlement was approaching, but the negotiation process is being hindered by the setting of deadlines and attempts to torpedo it, said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov on the “60 Minutes” programme.
“I believe Dec. 25, 2025, will remain in our memory as a milestone when we truly approached a solution, but whether we can make the final push and reach an agreement depends on the political will of the other side,” the Russian diplomat noted.
Commenting on remarks by US Permanent Representative to NATO Matthew Whitaker about ending the conflict within 90 days, Ryabkov said setting specific deadlines does not contribute to a peaceful settlement.
A breakthrough in the negotiations must be achieved “under conditions where Kyiv and its sponsors, particularly within the European Union, who are not focused on reaching an agreement, have redoubled their efforts to torpedo it,” he said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that he is willing to bring a peace plan to end the Ukraine crisis for a referendum if Russia agrees to a ceasefire of at least 60 days, according to US media outlet Axios.
In a phone interview with Axios on Friday, Zelensky said he would still like to negotiate a better position on territory. But if the plan demands “a very difficult” decision on that issue, he believes the best path forward will be to put the entire 20-point plan to a referendum, Xinhua news agency reported.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump is set to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Florida on Sunday, as Kyiv presses ahead with a new 20-point peace plan aimed at ending Russia’s nearly four-year war in Ukraine.
The White House on Friday (local time) announced that Trump would meet Zelensky at Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday, December 28.
Ahead of the meeting, Trump cast himself as the final arbiter of any potential agreement between Ukraine and Russia, striking a guarded note on Zelensky’s latest proposal.
“He doesn’t have anything until I approve it,” Trump told POLITICO in an interview.
“So we’ll see what he’s got.”
–IANS
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