A whirlwind week of international diplomacy has seen a frantic push to end the war in Ukraine, with multiple peace plans and high-level summits unfolding at a staggering pace.
A Flurry of Diplomatic Activity
The diplomatic offensive began in earnest last Wednesday with a 28-point plan proposed by former US President Donald Trump. This initiative aimed to find a solution to a conflict that has ravaged Ukraine for almost four years, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians.
By the weekend, the proposal had already been revised into a slimmed-down 19-point version. According to The Guardian's Russian affairs reporter, Pjotr Sauer, this redrafted plan appeared to be less skewed towards Russia's interests than the initial offering.
Summits and Shuttle Diplomacy
The pace of negotiations accelerated further by Tuesday, when US, Russian, and Ukrainian officials convened at a summit in Abu Dhabi to hammer out a third version of the potential agreement.
Pjotr Sauer, describing the situation to Nosheen Iqbal, emphasised the breakneck speed of developments. "The pace has been staggering," he said. "We've seen Ukrainian and American officials meet in Geneva, we've seen Europeans gather and come together with their own peace plan, and now we're seeing Russian and Ukrainian and Americans officials flying to Abu Dhabi. All in the space of a week."
Further high-profile meetings are rumoured, including a potential visit by Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Washington to meet Donald Trump himself. Sauer also suggested it is likely that US officials will travel to Moscow for talks with Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin.
Will a Deal Be Struck?
In a significant development, Ukraine has now indicated it broadly accepts the current peace plan, pending the resolution of certain unspecified details. This positive signal from Kyiv raises a crucial question: will Russia be equally willing to compromise and be persuaded to agree to the terms?
The coming days will be critical in determining whether this intense flurry of diplomacy will finally lead to a lasting ceasefire, or if the devastating conflict will continue.
