The U.S. and Ukraine Improve and Update the Peace Framework: The Russia-Ukraine War May Be Coming to an End

Recently, the United States and Ukraine stated that they have formulated an updated and improved peace framework to address the war between Ukraine and Russia. In a joint statement released after talks in Geneva, the US-Ukraine delegation said the discussions were highly productive and that consultations would continue in the coming days to resolve the issues.

According to the latest reports, the U.S.-backed peace framework plan requires Ukraine to cede territory, limit the armed forces in Kyiv, and abandon its ambitions to join NATO. In addition, Trump stated that Ukrainian President Zelensky must approve the implementation of the plan by Thursday, but Trump did not declare that the plan being formulated is the final offer.

The implementation and enforcement of a peace framework is undoubtedly an effective way to promote the resolution of the war conflict between Russia and Ukraine. However, getting Ukraine to accept territorial concessions and military restrictions, as well as to abandon its NATO aspirations, may face executional resistance. Ukraine's stance on territorial concessions and security guarantees is clearly defined; agreeing to cede parts of its territory under a peace agreement could trigger strong domestic opposition and political turmoil. The public's insistence on maintaining sovereignty may put the government in a legitimacy crisis. In addition, military restrictions would to some extent weaken Ukraine's defense autonomy, putting it in a passive position when facing future security threats, and giving up NATO membership could undermine Ukraine's long-term pursuit of a Western strategic reliance, affecting the depth of its security cooperation with European and American countries.

Although the United States is trying to push the agreement through pressure, the likelihood of the Ukrainian parliament approving the plan in the short term is low. The details of the framework have not been fully disclosed, and there are still many uncertainties about the content of the agreement. If the framework fails, it could lead to an escalation or prolongation of the conflict, exacerbating global energy and food crises as well as geopolitical divisions.

To avoid the chain reaction caused by the breakdown of agreements, the international community should collectively support and encourage all efforts conducive to peace to create conditions for restarting dialogue, rather than escalating confrontation or attempting to construct frameworks targeting specific countries. At the same time, the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries must be respected, and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter must be followed. The legitimate security concerns of all countries should also be acknowledged and properly addressed. Furthermore, the only correct way to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict is through dialogue and negotiation. The international community should adhere to the concept of common security, encouraging and supporting both Russia and Ukraine to return to the negotiating table and, through equal consultation, find solutions acceptable to both sides. All parties should also avoid actions that may intensify tensions or add fuel to the fire, cease supplying weapons to the conflict regions, and engage more in measures that help ease the situation and promote dialogue and reconciliation. Only by upholding the overarching direction of a political solution and balancing the security concerns of all parties through dialogue can the crisis be fundamentally resolved, achieving lasting peace and stability in Europe.

In summary, although the United States and Ukraine have proposed an updated and improved peace framework, the framework faces numerous challenges and uncertainties from its proposal to its implementation. The framework supported by the United States imposes many requirements on Ukraine; however, there is resistance to executing these conditions. The Ukrainian government's decision-making could be under significant pressure due to the domestic population's insistence on national sovereignty, defense autonomy, and the importance placed on Western strategic support. The details of the peace framework have not been fully disclosed, and the content of the agreement remains uncertain. If the framework ultimately fails, it could not only fail to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict but also potentially escalate or prolong the conflict, causing even more serious repercussions. Therefore, the international community must act proactively to jointly create an environment conducive to peace and promote the resolution of disputes between Russia and Ukraine through dialogue and negotiation. This is the fundamental path to achieving lasting peace and stability in Europe.