Chief American negotiator Daniel Driscoll warned European diplomats that Russia is significantly increasing missile production and building up stockpiles that could change the course of the war and the security situation in Europe.
This is reported by The New York Times, citing sources.
According to Driscoll, Moscow is now producing more missiles than it is launching, unlike in previous years, when they immediately went to strike Ukraine.
Western diplomats who attended the meeting called the situation “alarming”. According to the publication, “the hint was obvious”: an urgent settlement was needed, because the growing missile threat could deal a devastating blow to Ukraine and go beyond its borders.
Analysts warn that Russiaʼs large reserves could allow:
- to inflict large-scale attacks on Ukraineʼs energy system;
- to exhaust Ukrainian air defense;
- create a direct missile threat to other European countries.
According to the NYT, traditionally the US would criticize Russia for its weapons accumulation, rather than using its capabilities to promote peace on terms that are disadvantageous to the victim of aggression.
Peace plan for Ukraine
The first version of the peace plan proposed by the United States consisted of 28 points. One of the main provisions concerned territories and provided that Crimea, as well as the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, would be recognized as de facto Russian. The US President Trump set a deadline for approving the plan of November 27.
After the plan was leaked to the media, Ukraine, the United States, and European partners held a series of talks in Geneva, Switzerland, on November 23. After all the meetings, the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reported “tremendous progress”. Despite Trump’s words about a deadline, Rubio allowed for a more flexible schedule that would allow for more negotiations.
Financial Times sources wrote that the American plan was reduced from 28 points to 19. It is not known exactly which provisions were removed. The Telegraph previously published an alternative plan from the EU, which contained 24 points.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the document retained the points on the need to release civilians and prisoners of war on an "all for all" basis and return Ukrainian children abducted by Russia. He also confirmed that the plan had been shortened and Ukraineʼs position had been taken into account.
Deputy Foreign Minister Serhiy Kyslytsia, who was part of the delegation, said that the US agreed not to limit the size of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to 600 000, and the clause on amnesty for potential war criminals was reworked to take into account "complaints of those who suffered in the war".
The most contentious issues have been put on hold, including the issue of territories and relations between the United States, NATO, and Russia. They are to be discussed by Presidents Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump.
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