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Russia is analyzing a peace proposal brought from the United States regarding the Ukraine conflict, Kremlin spokesman Dmitriy Peskov said Wednesday, though Moscow has shown limited interest in ending the war.
Peskov told reporters in Moscow that Kirill Dmitriyev, Russian President Vladimir Putin's special representative for international economic cooperation, met with U.S. officials and delivered a plan to Putin. "We are analyzing the plan that Dmitriyev submitted to Putin," Peskov said. "We will continue communication with the Americans according to the decision the president will make."
The statement came one day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented a revised 20-point peace blueprint developed with the United States, describing it as Kyiv's strongest effort to end the war with Russia.
The Ukrainian proposal covers issues ranging from security guarantees to postwar reconstruction. Zelenskyy said Kyiv and Washington had reached a substantial agreement on most points, particularly regarding mechanisms to prevent future Russian aggression. These include maintaining a peacetime Ukrainian army of 800,000 troops funded by Western partners and Ukraine's membership in the European Union.
The plan also calls for a bilateral security agreement with the United States that would be voted on by Congress, along with European military support for Ukraine's defenses. Some European countries have indicated readiness to deploy forces in Ukraine as part of this support package, though Russia opposes any such troop presence.
However, significant disagreements persist over territorial questions. The fate of Ukrainian-held territory in the eastern Donetsk region remains "the most complex point," Zelenskyy acknowledged. He said the United States and Ukraine have not reached a full agreement on these territorial issues, which represent the biggest obstacle in peace negotiations.
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Zelenskyy outlined a compromise that would create a demilitarized zone in Donetsk, including both Ukrainian-controlled areas and Russian-held territory from which Moscow would withdraw troops. A buffer zone overseen by international forces would separate the two sides within this demilitarized area.
Another contentious issue involves the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine. The facility, Europe's largest with 6 gigawatts of generation capacity, is deemed essential by Kyiv for postwar reconstruction. Zelenskyy said the United States proposed shared control and profits among Washington, Kyiv and Moscow, but Ukraine rejected trading energy with Moscow. He suggested instead that the plant operate as a joint venture between Kyiv and Washington, with the United States free to share profits as it chooses.
The plan also addresses American economic interests, envisioning the creation of a Ukraine Development Fund to invest in technology, data centers and artificial intelligence. U.S. and Ukrainian companies would cooperate on reconstruction projects, including energy sector development and the extraction of minerals and natural resources. The proposal aims to raise up to $800 billion through several funds, with a leading global financial leader to be appointed to organize implementation.
The Kremlin indicated Wednesday that Putin would formulate Russia's position after reviewing the proposal. "We aim to formulate our future stance and resume our contacts shortly via the established channels currently in use," Peskov said.
However, Moscow's top foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov called the latest U.S.-Ukrainian peace talks "rather unconstructive" over the weekend, suggesting Russia sees limited progress.
The Kremlin has repeatedly stated its objective of full military control over Donetsk, whether achieved through battlefield victories or negotiations, and has dismissed returning the nuclear plant to Ukrainian control. These positions suggest Moscow is unlikely to accept the compromises offered by Ukraine on territorial arrangements and the power facility.
Peskov also announced that Putin sent a telegram to U.S. President Donald Trump congratulating him on Christmas. The spokesman additionally said Russia remains in contact with France regarding French citizen Laurent Vinatier, who was sentenced to prison in Russia for allegedly collecting information about the military.
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