Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has presented a significant new proposal to end the war with Russia, expressing a conditional willingness to withdraw Ukrainian forces from the contested Donbas region. The updated 20-point peace plan, revealed on Christmas Eve, hinges on a mutual pullback to create a demilitarised zone.
The Core of the 20-Point Proposal
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday 24 December 2025, President Zelensky outlined a framework developed with US officials. The most sensitive element involves transforming the eastern Donbas, Ukraine's industrial heartland, into a "free economic zone." This would only proceed if Russian forces also withdrew from the area they currently occupy.
Mr Zelensky stressed that critical issues, particularly territorial questions, must be resolved in direct meetings between national leaders. He described the document as a foundational text for ending the conflict, involving Ukraine, America, Europe, and Russia. The plan would ultimately require approval via a national referendum in Ukraine.
Strategic Demilitarisation and Security Guarantees
The proposed demilitarised zone in Donbas would necessitate complex negotiations on the depth of the withdrawal and the positioning of international forces. However, President Zelensky argued it would provide Ukraine with "strong" security guarantees, compelling NATO partners to act in the event of a future Russian assault.
A similar arrangement is suggested for the area surrounding the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, currently under Russian control. The US proposal recommends the plant be jointly operated by Ukraine, the US, and Russia. The nearby city of Enerhodar would also become a demilitarised free economic zone.
Beyond Donbas, the working draft proposes Russian withdrawal from the Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Sumy, and Kharkiv regions. The plan also caps Ukraine's peacetime military strength at 800,000 personnel and proposes an $800bn fundraising project for national reconstruction.
Russian Response and Ongoing Conflict
The Kremlin's response has been non-committal. Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated Moscow would form its position based on a report from Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev, who met US officials in Florida recently. Russia has previously demanded Ukraine relinquish all remaining Donbas territory, an ultimatum Kyiv has rejected. Russia currently controls most of Luhansk and about 70% of Donetsk oblasts.
The peace plan was unveiled against a backdrop of continued violence. On the same day, an explosion in southern Moscow killed three people, including two police officers. Russian investigators suggested Ukrainian involvement. Meanwhile, Ukraine's military confirmed it had withdrawn from the eastern town of Siversk near Bakhmut due to sustained Russian pressure, while maintaining operations around Pokrovsk.
The updated plan marks a counter-proposal to an original 28-point document and follows a series of separate talks between American negotiators and both warring parties, initiated after US President Donald Trump presented his own proposal last month.
