 "US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Image Credit: Reuters")
US secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday rejected accusations from the lawmakers that the 28-point peace plan aimed at mirroring Russian demands. He insisted that the peace proposal aimed at ending the war in Ukraine was drafted by the US.
Rubio posted on X, that the peace proposal was “authored by the United States” and wrote “It is offered as a strong framework for ongoing negotiations.”
“It is based on input from the Russian side. But it is also based on previous and ongoing input from Ukraine,” he added.
Senator Mike Rounds, a Republican, told reporters at a conference in Halifax earlier on Saturday that Rubio had called him and other senators and said it was a proposal that the US had received and passed on to Ukraine.
Rounds said, “He made it very clear to us that we are the recipients of a proposal that was delivered to one of our representatives. It is not our recommendation, it is not our plan."
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The leaked outline contemplates US recognition of Russian control over Crimea and separatist-held areas in Eastern Ukraine. The proposal also envisions security awareness for Ukraine while limiting its military size and ruling out Nato membership.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly rejected any settlement requiring territorial concessions or closing the door to Nato. He signalled that major changes will be required to shape the peace plan. Officials from US and European countries met in Geneva to discuss the peace plan and will present revisions before any deal is presented to Kyiv.
(With inputs from Reuters)