Axios: US secretly consults with Russia on new plan to end war

The administration of US President Donald Trump is secretly consulting with Moscow to develop a new plan to end the Russian-Ukrainian war. This was reported by Axios, citing unnamed US and Russian officials.

The 28-point document is divided into four parts: peace in Ukraine, security guarantees, security in Europe, and future US relations with Russia and Ukraine. It remains unclear how the plan proposes to resolve such controversial issues as territorial control in eastern Ukraine.

A senior Russian official told the newspaper that he was "optimistic". However, it is not known how Ukraine and European partners will react to the plan.

According to an unnamed U.S. official, the process is being led by Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff. He discussed the plan in detail with Russian special envoy Kirill Dmitriev.

According to Dmitriev, the idea is to take the principles, agreed upon by Trump and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin in Alaska in August and prepare a proposal to resolve the war, restore US-Russian relations and address security issues.

Putin's special envoy expresses optimism about chances of success of deal – says, unlike previous efforts, "we feel that the Russian position is really being heard.".

According to him, a written document is planned to be prepared for the next meeting between Trump and Putin.

Ukrainian and U.S. officials told Axios that Vitkoff was scheduled to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Turkey on Nov. 19, but postponed his trip.

Ukrainian official confirms that Vitkoff had previously discussed the plan with Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov .

"We know that the Americans are working on something," Ukrainian official says.

The American official confirmed that the White House is already informing not only Ukraine but also European partners about the plan. According to him, the United States believes it can involve Kyiv and Europe in supporting the initiative, and the document will be adapted in accordance with the parties' proposals.

"We believe that now is the best time to implement this plan. But both sides have to be practical and realistic," added the American interlocutor .

• on October 12, it became known that Europe and Ukraine are preparing a 12-point proposal to end Russia's full-scale war on the current front lines.

• On November 3, Zelenskyy said that he had not seen any new peace plan from European partners.
• The Ukrainian and Russian sides met in Istanbul on May 16, June 2, and July 23. on November 12, Ukraine's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergiy Kyslytsya announced that peace talks were suspended due to the failure to make progress.