The United States and Russia drafted a 28-point plan which, among other provisions, would require Ukraine to cede its eastern territories (Donbas) to Russia, cut its army in half, and accept limits on US assistance. Another condition involves restrictions on the use of certain categories of weapons.
The plan was drawn up without Ukraine’s participation and includes terms that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has so far rejected. He met yesterday with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to seek increased pressure on Russia and is scheduled to meet US officials tomorrow.
Donbas is a heavily industrialized region, rich in coal and steel, and in 2014 it accounted for 30% of Ukraine’s coal exports.
Domestically, the Ukrainian president is under mounting pressure, according to The Guardian. Russian forces have recently advanced into the strategically important city of Pokrovsk and continue to push forward in other parts of the front line. At the same time, a corruption scandal in the energy sector has erupted, developing into Ukraine’s most serious political crisis since the start of the war.
Meanwhile, Russia is intensifying its offensive. Yesterday, it carried out airstrikes in Ternopil in western Ukraine, killing 25 people, including three children. In recent weeks, Russian forces have also sought to destroy Ukraine’s electricity infrastructure ahead of winter.
