The German Defense Minister warned Ukraine not to accept an agreement that involves sweeping away territorial concessions in exchange for a cease-fire with Russia.
Boris Pistorius said that Ukraine “should not go to the last proposal of the American president”, which, according to him, would be equivalent to a “capitulation”.
President Donald Trump said this week that “most of the main points [of the deal] are accepted to “. The reports suggest that Ukraine could be invited to give up large parts of land seized by Russia, including Crimea.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly rejected territorial concessions, saying that land issues can be discussed once a cease-fire has been agreed.
On Sunday, Pistorius told the German public broadcaster Ard that kyiv knew that he could have to separate from a territory to obtain a cease-fire.
“But they will certainly not go as far – or should not go as far – as the last proposal of the American president,” he said.
“Ukraine could have obtained a year ago what was included in this proposal, this is similar to a capitulation. I cannot discern any added value.”
The BBC has not seen the exact details of the last American plan. Friday, the news agency Reuters said that it had seen proposals from the United States which included American legal acceptance of the illegal annexation of Russia of Crimea and de facto recognition of Russian control of other occupied areas, including all Luhansk in the east of the country.
Reuters has also seen counter-deputy from Europe and Ukraine, which would have declared that they will only discuss what will happen to the occupied Ukrainian territory only once a cease-fire has entered into force.
The American plan also excludes members of Ukraine to the NATO military alliance and sees a coalition led by the United Kingdom “the coalition of the security guarantee once a cease-fire is in force without the involvement of the United States.
Europeans want the United States to give “robust” guarantees in the form of a toast commitment of NATO to come using Ukraine if it is attacked.
The United States proposes to take control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant – currently occupied by Russia – which would then provide electricity to Russia and Ukraine. The counter-plan is no mention to give the power of Russia.
In an interview with Time Magazine this week, Trump accused kyiv of having triggered the war, citing his ambitions to join NATO.
The American president also told Time: “Crimea will remain with Russia.”
On Sunday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Russia and Ukraine to go ahead to conclude a peace agreement.
“It must happen soon,” Rubio told NBC. “We cannot continue to devote time and resources to this effort if it is not going to materialize.”
The United States recently warned that it would move away from negotiations if progress was not made.
He follows a Tête-à-tête meeting between Zelensky and Trump At the Vatican on the sidelines of the pope’s funeral on Saturday.
The White House described the meeting as “very productive” while the Ukrainian president said that he had “the potential to become historic”.
Russia launched a large -scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and Moscow currently controls almost 20% of the Ukrainian territory.
