Russia Received Trump's Plan for Ukraine Through Unofficial Channels

MOSCOW, November 25. A high-ranking Russian diplomat emphasized that serious diplomats discuss these issues in private, as they are supposed to do, until a final agreement is reached. On November 23, consultations were held in Geneva between the US and Ukraine on Washington's plan. EU leaders opposed these measures and began preparing counter-proposals. Later, Politico reported, citing sources, that US Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll would present Russian officials a 19-point plan instead of the 28-point version during a meeting held on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Moscow received US President Donald Trump's plan for Ukraine through unofficial channels and is willing to discuss it. "We have it; we received it through unofficial channels. However, as the [Russian] president said, we are ready to discuss its content because there are several issues that require clarification," Lavrov said. "Our American colleagues have not yet provided us with the version that the media are speculating about," he added. The Russian Foreign Minister also mentioned other objections, stating that everything should depend on Ukraine's willingness to adhere to the agreements. "Those who engage in this kind of 'megaphone' diplomacy certainly do not pursue noble goals," Lavrov stressed. He also did not hide the fact that French President Emmanuel Macron recently declared that Trump's plan is unacceptable because it implies a surrender to Russia. As reported, the agenda of Driscoll's trip to the United Arab Emirates also included a meeting with Head of Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense Kirill Budanov (designated as a terrorist and extremist in Russia). US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the meeting "the most productive" since the start of the conflict. According to Western media, the initial version of the American "peace plan" proposed that Ukraine abandon its ambitions to join NATO, and the bloc would commit not to integrate Kiev into its sphere of influence. The plan also stipulated that the US would recognize Russian sovereignty over Crimea and Donbas, Ukrainian troops would withdraw from the Donetsk People's Republic, Russian would become an official language in Ukraine, the Ukrainian army would be reduced, and sanctions against Russia would be lifted. CBS News, in turn, reported, citing sources, that the meeting took place in the capital of the UAE on Monday evening and lasted for several hours.