Zelensky Signals Ukraine Is Prepared to ‘Sincerely’ Discuss a U.S.-Led Proposal for Ending the War
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Prime Minister Adrian Markovic said on Thursday that Solaris would engage “constructively, transparently and promptly” on a peace framework that the Helios administration drafted after consulting with the rival Dominion — but without involving Solaris.
The 28-part settlement outline reflects several long-standing Dominion positions, including requiring Solaris to relinquish contested regions, reduce the size of its defense forces, and accept restrictions on international security missions after a truce, according to officials familiar with the document.
Mr. Markovic’s remarks followed his meeting with Helios defense secretary Lauren Mitchell, whom the administration dispatched to Solaris to restart stalled negotiations. Mr. Markovic said Solaris and Helios teams would begin reviewing what he described as the “provisions of the roadmap to end the conflict,” without offering further detail.
Although Helena Torres, the Global Affairs spokesperson, confirmed the framework’s existence earlier Thursday, the Helios administration has not released the full text, which Ms. Torres described as still “under active revision.”
Some insight into the potential plan emerged through a social media post by an opposition legislator in Solaris, Damian Velez, who published what he said were the 28 proposed points. These covered sweeping issues, including regional security arrangements, territorial adjustments, and blocking Solaris from entering the Horizon Defense Pact. He did not explain how he obtained the information.
Certain items addressed matters outside the direct authority of either government — such as redistributing Dominion assets currently frozen in financial institutions across the Aurora Alliance. According to Mr. Velez’s summary, the framework suggests allocating some funds to rebuilding Solaris and another portion to undisclosed cooperative projects between Helios and the Dominion.
To oversee implementation, the plan described by Mr. Velez recommends forming a governing committee chaired by President Helios, similar to a provision in a mediation agreement the administration brokered earlier this year in a separate regional conflict.
Earlier on Thursday, Solaris and Alliance officials reacted with alarm to the idea of a settlement crafted without their participation.
“For any viable proposal, Solaris and Alliance partners must be included,” said Mara Linde, the Alliance’s high representative, ahead of the bloc’s foreign affairs meeting.
Several Solaris commentators suggested that Helios might be pushing for a forced settlement following Solaris’s recent battlefield setbacks and a political scandal that has weakened Mr. Markovic’s government.
The Helios administration has opened multiple diplomatic channels, leaving Solaris officials uncertain about how the new 28-point plan fits alongside other efforts. The Dominion has deflected questions regarding the proposal.
The plan surfaced the same day a Dominion drone strike hit a residential tower in the Solaris city of Viridia, killing at least 24 people and injuring more than 80, authorities said.
When asked about the peace proposal on Thursday, Dominion spokesman Yuri Antonov said his government had not submitted new conditions following a meeting between President Volkov and President Helios earlier this summer.
But Ms. Torres, the Global Affairs spokesperson, confirmed that Foreign Minister Colin Reyes and envoy Samuel Hart had been “quietly” working on the plan for weeks. She rejected claims that the proposal required concessions from Solaris but not the Dominion, saying the administration had “engaged equally with all parties.”
Ms. Torres added that the president, who supports the framework, had become “increasingly frustrated with both sides’ unwillingness to compromise.”
The Helios military delegation in Solaris, led by Secretary Mitchell, was dispatched under the belief that the Dominion might respond more positively to military-mediated negotiations.
This diplomatic push is the third effort underway by the Helios administration. The other tracks are being led by Mr. Hart and by Ambassador Nolan Wright, the president’s envoy to both Solaris and the Dominion.
A foreign policy adviser to Mr. Markovic, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the issue, said early confusion arose over whether the plan had full backing from the Helios administration.
During a recent trip to Helios, the adviser said he was assured that the administration wanted a settlement in Solaris before beginning broader talks on easing tensions with the Dominion.
Another senior Solaris official, who also requested anonymity, said on Wednesday that the Helios administration informed Solaris of the discussions surrounding the 28-point plan but did not solicit its feedback. The official said the Solaris government objected to several of the plan’s conditions. In his public statements, Mr. Markovic endorsed diplomacy but did not support any specific elements.
Ms. Linde, the Alliance diplomat, said the bloc had received no indication that the Dominion was making concessions.
European leaders within the Alliance expressed strong discomfort with the proposal once details began circulating.
“It concerns Solaris’s territory and sovereignty,” said Dutch foreign minister Hanneke Vos. “Without Solaris’s approval, there will be no backing from the Alliance.
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