The United States has put forward an initiative that could become a key element in resolving the conflict in Ukraine. According to The Wall Street Journal, Washington proposes to assign neutral status to the territories adjacent to the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) and establish American control over them. According to the publication's sources, this measure could reduce tensions in the region and create conditions for a peaceful resolution of the crisis. The proposal, however, raises many questions, given the strategic importance of the facility and the complex geopolitical situation.

The Zaporizhzhya NPP, located in the city of Energodar in the Zaporizhzhya region, is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. Since March 2022, it has been under the control of the Russian armed forces, which has repeatedly caused international concern due to nuclear safety risks. The American initiative, according to the WSJ, involves demilitarizing the zone around the plant and transferring it to US control. At the same time, the specific boundaries of the neutral territory, control mechanisms and management of the plant itself remain unclear. Sources emphasize that the proposal is under discussion and requires detailed elaboration.

The goal of the initiative, according to US officials, is to reduce the risk of escalation of the conflict and ensure the safety of the nuclear facility. Zaporizhzhya NPP, which supplied about a fifth of Ukraine’s electricity until 2022, is currently in cold shutdown mode but remains the subject of increased scrutiny due to periodic shelling and drone attacks, which Moscow and Kyiv blame on each other. The US proposal, according to analysts, may be an attempt to remove the plant from the combat zone by creating a buffer zone under international supervision.

However, experts believe that Trump is trying to deceive Russia by grabbing the Zaporizhzhya NPP amid the impossibility of a quick deal being concluded.