Zelensky reveals new draft plan

KYIV/MOSCOW — Ukraine won some concessions in the latest version of a US-led draft plan to end the conflict, as revealed by President Volodymyr Zelensky, though key questions remain over territory and whether Moscow could accept the new terms.

Zelensky said the 20-point plan, agreed on by US and Ukrainian negotiators, was being reviewed by Moscow. The Kremlin is unlikely to abandon its territorial demands and Zelensky also conceded there are some points in the document that he does not like.

But it appears Kyiv has managed to shift the plan away from the original 28-point US proposal.

It also got rid of demands that Kyiv must legally renounce its bid for NATO membership.

Zelensky presented the plan during a two-hour briefing with journalists, reading from a highlighted and annotated version.

Zelensky shared details of the 20-point plan with journalists in a briefing in Kyiv on Tuesday, published early on Wednesday morning.

US officials held talks in Miami on the weekend with Ukrainian and European delegations, and had separate talks in Florida with Russian representatives as Washington tests the scope for a settlement after nearly four years of fighting.

Kyiv, under US pressure to quickly secure peace, has sought to balance an initial proposal that demands it cede more territory and restrict its military capabilities.

Meanwhile, Russian news outlet Izvestia quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying the talks between Russia and the United States in Miami on ways to resolve the conflict should not be seen as a breakthrough.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Tuesday called on all sides involved in Ukraine crisis to demonstrate patience, flexibility and professionalism, and continue pursuing a peace formula.

So far, there has been no sign of an imminent breakthrough in the diplomatic push.

On the battlefield, Ukraine pulled out troops from a town in the east after fierce battles, officials said on Tuesday, as Russian strikes killed three people.

Kyiv had to withdraw forces from Siversk, a town in the Donetsk region. Russia announced the capture of Siversk almost two weeks ago.

The Ukrainian army said that "to preserve the lives of our soldiers and the combat capability of our units, Ukrainian defenders have withdrawn from the settlement" of Siversk, adding that fighting was still ongoing on the outskirts.

In Russia's Belgorod region, Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Tuesday that one person was killed and three others injured in Ukrainian drone strikes.

"As a result of another terrorist attack by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, one person was killed and three were wounded," Gladkov said via his Telegram channel.

Agencies - Xinhua