European powers have outlined a detailed counter-proposal to the United States’ draft 28-point plan for a potential peace framework on Ukraine, showing divergences in territorial, security and post-war reconstruction arrangements, disclosed by a document seen by Reuters.
The text, prepared jointly by Britain, France and Germany, builds on the U.S. draft but revises or removes several provisions, including Washington’s now-deleted call for limits on future NATO expansion and expectations regarding Russian behaviour. The result is more cautious vision of a future settlement.
Security Architecture and Guarantees
The European draft reiterates Ukraine’s sovereignty and places early emphasis on a comprehensive non-aggression agreement involving Russia, Ukraine and NATO. It foresees renewed Russia-NATO security dialogue after the signing of a peace deal and outlines ‘robust’ security guarantees for Kyiv.
The text specifies that Ukraine’s armed forces would be capped at 800,000 in peacetime and states plainly that Kyiv’s NATO accession remains subject to consensus within the Alliance, a consensus that currently ‘does not exist’. NATO, under the proposal, would pledge not to station permanent peacetime forces in Ukraine, while U.S. fighter jets would be based in Poland.
Economic Integration and Reconstruction
Ukraine would remain eligible for EU membership and receive preferential access to European markets pending evaluation. Redevelopment programme is envisioned, covering technology investment, energy infrastructure, war-damaged cities, minerals and natural resources, with a World Bank facility to accelerate financing.
The United States would partner with Kyiv on modernising and operating Ukraine’s gas pipeline and storage network while a new Ukraine Development Fund would focus on high-growth sectors including technology, data centres and AI.
In parallel, Russia would be gradually reintegrated into the global economy through phased sanctions relief and would be offered a long-term economic cooperation agreement with the United States, including potential joint projects in energy, Arctic development and rare earths. A return to the G8 is explicitly mentioned.
Territorial Questions and Governance
The most politically sensitive element appears in the section on territorial arrangements. Ukraine would commit not to reclaim occupied territory militarily, with negotiations beginning “from the Line of Contact”. Once new borders are agreed, both sides would be prohibited from altering them by force and any security guarantees would lapse if that commitment were breached.
The draft also states that frozen Russian sovereign assets would remain blocked until Moscow compensates Ukraine for war damages. Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant operations would resume under IAEA oversight, with electricity output divided equally between Russia and Ukraine.
Humanitarian Measures and Oversight
A humanitarian committee would oversee prisoner exchanges on an ‘all-for-all’ basis, the return of civilian detainees and abducted children and family reunification. Ukraine would be expected to hold elections ‘as soon as possible’ after the peace agreement enters into force.
Implementation of the overall settlement would be supervised by a newly created ‘Board of Peace’, chaired by former U.S. President Donald J. Trump, with penalties for violations. A ceasefire would take effect immediately once all sides endorse the memorandum and withdraw to agreed positions.
