U.S. Considers Russian Sanctions Easing in Draft Peace Proposal for Ukraine – Bloomberg

The United States has provided a draft ceasefire proposal for Ukraine to its European allies, which may include easing sanctions on Russia, according to Bloomberg, citing unnamed European officials knowledgeable about the situation.

The proposal was introduced during discussions held in Paris on Thursday, attended by representatives from the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Ukraine.

As stated by the U.S. State Department, the initiative outlines Washington’s vision for a «sustainable and enduring peace» and was distributed to «all parties» following conversations between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

According to Bloomberg, the U.S. plan aims to maintain the current lines of conflict, effectively allowing Russia to retain control over the occupied regions of Ukraine. Additionally, it would impede Ukraine’s aspirations to join NATO in return for the potential lifting of unspecified sanctions.

This proposed framework is not intended to serve as a definitive resolution and would necessitate further discussions with Ukraine, Bloomberg reported. Additional negotiations are set to occur in London next week.

While Bloomberg did not clarify which sanctions might be lifted, the Kremlin has stated that alleviating sanctions is essential for mending relations with Washington. Russian officials have particularly called for the removal of restrictions related to aviation.

Before departing from France, Rubio mentioned that any forthcoming peace agreement could involve a rollback of sanctions, urging negotiators to determine the feasibility of a ceasefire within a matter of days. Nevertheless, last month, European Union leaders decided to intensify sanctions on Russia.

On Friday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov recognized the challenging nature of the negotiations but affirmed Moscow’s willingness to engage in dialogue while safeguarding its interests. He also criticized the Paris discussions for allegedly promoting increased militarization in Europe and Ukraine rather than pursuing solutions.