Zelensky Unveils Revised Peace Framework, Floats Demilitarised Zone in Eastern Ukraine

Updated 20-point plan includes security guarantees, economic zones in Donbas, and referendum on final deal

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has outlined a revised peace proposal aimed at ending the nearly four-year-old full-scale war with Russia, offering conditional troop withdrawals in eastern Ukraine and the creation of demilitarised or free economic zones as part of a broader security framework backed by the United States, Nato and European partners.

Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, Zelensky said the 20-point plan, finalised by US and Ukrainian envoys during talks in Florida over the weekend, represents what he called “the core framework for ending the war.” He added that Russia was expected to formally respond on Wednesday after consultations with US officials.

Security Guarantees at the Core

At the heart of the proposal are binding security guarantees for Ukraine. Zelensky said the plan envisions commitments from the US, Nato allies and European states to mount a coordinated military response should Russia invade Ukraine again.

“These guarantees would mirror the logic of Nato’s Article Five,” Zelensky explained, referring to the alliance’s collective defence clause. Under the framework, Ukraine would also be permitted to maintain a peacetime military strength of up to 800,000 troops.

Donbas: Demilitarisation or Economic Zone

The most sensitive issue—territory in eastern Ukraine—remains unresolved, but Zelensky offered new detail on possible compromises.

Ukraine continues to oppose a full withdrawal from the parts of Donetsk region it still controls, around a quarter of the territory. Instead, US negotiators have proposed either a demilitarised buffer zone or a free economic zone in the area.

Zelensky said Ukraine could consider pulling back heavy weapons by 5, 10 or up to 40 kilometres, provided Russia mirrored the move on its side. Any such zone, he stressed, would remain under Ukrainian administration and policing, not Russian control.

“There are two paths,” Zelensky said. “Either the war continues, or decisions are made on economic and security arrangements for these areas.”

Russian forces are currently positioned roughly 40 kilometres east of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, key Ukrainian-held cities forming part of Kyiv’s defensive “fortress belt.”

Updated Plan Differs From Earlier Draft

The new 20-point document is seen as a revision of an earlier 28-point plan negotiated weeks ago by US envoy Steve Witkoff with Russian representatives. That earlier draft was widely criticised in Kyiv and Europe for being overly aligned with Moscow’s demands, including restrictions on Ukraine’s Nato aspirations.

According to Zelensky, territorial questions would ultimately need to be resolved “at the leaders’ level,” but the revised framework significantly strengthens Ukraine’s position on security and sovereignty.

International Talks and US Mediation

Much of the updated proposal reflects discussions held recently in Berlin, involving US officials Witkoff and Jared Kushner with Ukrainian and European leaders. Talks later moved to Miami, where representatives of US President Donald Trump’s administration met separately with Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev, and then with Ukrainian and European delegations.

Despite deeper detail on territorial arrangements, Zelensky acknowledged that Kyiv and Washington have not yet reached full agreement on all aspects.

Russia’s Likely Resistance

Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly demanded that Ukraine withdraw from all of Donetsk region as a condition for peace, warning this month that Russia would seize the territory by force if Ukrainian troops did not leave.

Zelensky argued that Moscow would struggle to outright reject the US-backed proposal. “They cannot tell President Trump they oppose a peaceful settlement,” he said. “If they block everything, the response would be stronger military support for Ukraine and tougher sanctions on Russia.”

Referendum and Other Key Provisions

Zelensky said the final peace deal would require approval through a nationwide referendum, and that only such a vote could legitimise the creation of any free economic zone in Donbas.

The plan also calls for:

• A similar economic and security arrangement around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, currently under Russian occupation

• The withdrawal of Russian forces from Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Sumy and Kharkiv regions

• A non-aggression pact between Russia and Ukraine, with international monitoring

• Ukraine’s accession to the European Union, with a defined timeline

• The creation of a $200 billion Ukraine investment fund, backed by the US and Europe

Zelensky rejected a separate US proposal for joint US–Russia–Ukraine operation of the Zaporizhzhia plant, saying Kyiv does not support such an arrangement.

Nato, Elections and Outstanding Issues

Notably, the revised framework does not bar Ukraine from joining Nato, a condition Russia has long demanded and which appeared in earlier drafts.

The plan also includes a provision for national elections to be held as soon as possible after a deal is signed. Ukraine has not held elections since the invasion began due to martial law, though both Russia and the US have pressed for a vote.