Volodymyr Zelenskyy admitted “some things still need to be worked out” but hailed the agreement as peace in Ukraine edges closer.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
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Ukraine has agreed to the US’ 20-point peace to end the war with Russia, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced.
Speaking at a news conference in Dublin, the Ukrainian leader said the original proposal was whittled down from 28 to 20 points during previous crunch talks in Geneva and Florida.
While Mr Zelenskyy has admitted that “some things still need to be worked out”, he said the agreement marks “one of the most challenging and yet optimistic moments at the same time” for achieving peace in Ukraine more than three years into Vladimir Putin’s illegal war.
“Now more than ever there is a chance to end this war”, Mr Zelenskyy said.
He refused to share the full details of the plan but specified what he described as the “most sensitive things and most difficult questions and challenges”.
Read more: Trump envoy Steve Witkoff ‘advised Kremlin official on Ukraine peace deal’
Russian and US officials met in Florida.
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These include territorial concessions, the use of frozen Russian assets, and the presence of a peacekeeping force with troops, including British soldiers, from the so-called Coalition of the Willing.
Mr Zelenskyy admitted that Ukraine needs to understand what future security guarantees are “going to be like and how it’s going to work” before anything can be agreed.
The Ukrainian president touched down in Dublin on Tuesday morning, where he was greeted by Ireland’s newly-elected president Catherine Connolly before holding a conference with the Irish taoiseach, Micheál Martin.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump and his special envoy Steve Witkoff are gearing up for talks with Vladimir Putin and his aides in the Kremlin tonight.
Mr Zelenskyy said he would react to this summit “according to the results”.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin’s team will met US delegates in Moscow tonight.
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It follows two days of negotiations in Florida between Ukrainian and US officials, including Mr Witkoff and Mr Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
Mr Kushner has acted as an outside adviser in diplomatic negotiations and is thought to have helped refine the US-backed peace plan for Ukraine.
While Mr Zelenskyy has described the talks as “constructive”, the US plan has been criticised as being too weighted toward Russian demands.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters after the Florida talks: “The end goal, obviously, is not just the end of the war.
“But it’s also about securing an end to the war that leaves Ukraine sovereign and independent and with an opportunity at real prosperity.
“This is not just about peace deals.”
Mr Zelenskyy has said he is open to further discussion with the US as the countries continue to flesh out further details.
He previously criticised a plan the US had agreed on with Russia, which Mr Trump has since played down as a “concept” or a “map” to be “fine-tuned”.
It would have imposed limits on the size of Ukraine’s military, blocked the country from joining Nato and required Ukraine to hold elections in 100 days.
The plan also initially envisioned Ukraine ceding the entire eastern region of the Donbas to Russia – a sticking point for Kyiv.