War in Ukraine: a proposal on territorial concessions was submitted to Trump, says German Chancellor

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz claims to have sent a proposal from Ukraine to the White House to advance discussions on a possible peace plan with Russia. Donald Trump continues to press kyiv, accusing Volodymyr Zelensky of not wanting to consent to his Russian aggressor.

“There is a proposition of which (Donald Trump) was not yet aware of it at the time we spoke on the telephone (Wednesday), because it had not yet been transmitted to the Americans. We did it yesterday late afternoon. It is above all about (know) what territorial concessions Ukraine is ready to make,” Friedrich Merz said at a press conference in Berlin with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

The chancellor did not provide details, noting that it is “up to the Ukrainian president and the Ukrainian people” to answer the question of what concessions they are ready to make so that Moscow puts an end to its war of invasion.

A demilitarized zone as a buffer?

Friedrich Merz, as well as Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keith Starmer spoke with Donald Trump on Wednesday. The American president appeared impatient, saying he had “quite strong words” during the interview, and warning that the United States did not want to “waste (their) time”. Merz describes “a very constructive telephone conversation during which the respective positions were clearly explained and mutual respect expressed”.

The German leader reiterated the three objectives of the discussions: obtaining a ceasefire, “robust” security guarantees for Ukraine and a negotiated solution preserving European security interests, with Moscow considered the continental threat.

On Wednesday, Volodymyr Zelensky assured that a new Ukrainian response to the proposed peace plan had been sent to the Trump administration. Discussions are ongoing. CNN claims, based on the statements of two European diplomats, that the latest version of the plan proposes the creation of a demilitarized zone along the line of contact between Ukrainian and Russian forces.