Full Story The frantic push to bring peace to Ukraine
Nov 26, 2025
Piotr Sauer, a Russian affairs reporter for The Guardian, shares insights into the dramatic shifts in peace negotiations over Ukraine. He details the evolution from a 28-point plan to a 19-point proposal, emphasizing contentious terms like territory concessions and military limits. Sauer highlights the differing moods in Kyiv and Moscow, the role of US diplomacy, and Ukraine's goals for reconstruction and security guarantees. He also reflects on the complexities of these negotiations and the ongoing war fatigue affecting public sentiment in both nations.
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Diplomacy Accelerated But Deferred Key Issues
- Rapid diplomacy produced three distinct peace plans in under a week, showing extraordinary momentum.
- The pace created pressure but left major issues—territory, NATO membership—deferred to leaders to settle later.
Original Plan Favored Russian Demands
- The original 28-point plan mirrored many Russian demands and included caps on Ukraine's military and amnesty clauses.
- Kyiv and Western diplomats reworked it to remove the most overtly pro-Russian elements but left sensitive items unresolved.
Deal-Makers Drafted The Plan In Florida
- The plan was drafted outside traditional diplomacy by Jared Kushner, Steve Witkoff and Kirill Dmitriev in Florida.
- Piotr Sauer likened the document's language to a transactional, non-professional dealmaking style.