Geneva, Nov 24  – Russian President Vladimir Putin could return to the global stage under a European peace plan that proposes reintegrating Russia into the G8. The plan comes as a counter-proposal to U.S. President Donald Trump’s 28-point peace plan, which was widely criticized for being heavily favorable to Moscow.

Key Provisions of the European Plan

The European proposal includes several significant concessions for Ukraine:

• Military Cap: Ukraine’s military would be capped at 800,000 troops in peacetime. Previous versions of the European plan had no cap, while the U.S.-Russia proposal suggested a cap of 600,000.

• Elections: Ukraine would hold elections as soon as possible after signing the peace agreement, potentially opening the door for the removal of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, a key demand of Moscow.

• Territorial Integrity: The European deal removes Russia’s demand that Ukraine cede the eastern Donbas region.

• Reintegration of Russia: The plan calls for Russia to be gradually reintegrated into the global economy and allows for its eventual return to the G8.

• U.S. Profit Clause Removed: A clause that would have granted the U.S. 50 percent of future profits from frozen Russian assets invested in Ukraine has been removed.

Background

The original 28-point U.S. proposal required Ukraine to relinquish large areas of territory, including regions not yet under Russian control—a move widely regarded in Kyiv as tantamount to capitulation after nearly four years of intense conflict.

Following an emergency summit in Geneva, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Washington is “making some changes” to its plan. He called the meeting “probably the best meeting and day we’ve had so far in this entire process.”

Trump has yet to approve the European counter-proposal, and Russia, which has repeatedly altered its demands, must also give its consent.

Next Steps

The plan’s implementation remains uncertain, and negotiations are ongoing as both the United States and Ukraine work to finalize a framework that balances security, territorial, and political concerns while seeking a sustainable end to the war with Russia.