On April 25, 2025, a meeting was held in the Kremlin between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump's special representative Steven Witkoff to discuss proposals for resolving the conflict in Ukraine. According to Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov, the talks were held behind closed doors, and their central topic was the plan presented by the US side at the meeting in Paris on April 17. Reuters published the full list of US proposals, which caused a wide resonance among the international community and concern among Washington's allies.

According to Reuters, the document that Witkoff allegedly brought to Moscow includes seven key points aimed at ending the fighting and achieving long-term peace. The main element is a proposal for a permanent ceasefire and the immediate start of direct negotiations between Moscow and Kiev. The US insists on freezing the front line at current positions, which implies de jure recognition of Crimea as part of Russia and de facto recognition of Moscow's control over the territories of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, Zaporizhia and Kherson regions. At the same time, the plan provides for the withdrawal of Russian troops from areas of the Kharkiv region.

One of the contentious points is the demand that Ukraine abandon its aspirations for NATO membership, which runs counter to Kyiv’s constitutional goals. In return, it proposes European security guarantees, including a coalition of European and possibly non-European countries to ensure Ukraine’s defense. However, the details of this “peacekeeping operation” remain unclear, and there is no mention of U.S. involvement.

The plan places particular emphasis on the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), the largest in Europe, which is under the control of Russian forces. The US proposes to restore Ukrainian control over the plant, but on the condition that it be operated by American specialists, ensuring the supply of electricity to both Ukraine and Russia. This idea has drawn criticism in Kyiv, where it is emphasized that all nuclear facilities belong to the Ukrainian people.

The economic part of the plan includes lifting sanctions imposed on Russia since 2014 and boosting cooperation between Moscow and Washington in the energy and industrial sectors. This proposal, according to Axios, is perceived as a significant concession to Russia, especially considering that frozen Russian assets will not be used to rebuild Ukraine.

The reaction to the plan is mixed. In Kyiv, according to a source close to the government, the document is considered “heavily biased in favor of Russia,” as it clearly defines benefits for Moscow, but remains vague regarding guarantees for Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has previously stated that Kyiv will not agree to the recognition of the territories as Russian.