Exclusive: Documents show differences over US peace drive for Ukraine

LONDON, April 25 (Reuters) - Ukrainian and European officials pushed back this week against some U.S. proposals on how to end Russia's war in Ukraine, making counterproposals on issues from territory to sanctions, according to the full texts of the proposals seen by Reuters.
The sets of proposals from talks between U.S., European and Ukrainian officials in Paris on April 17 and in London on April 23 laid bare the inner workings of the shuttle diplomacy under way as U.S. President Donald Trump seeks a quick end to the war.

Washington, D.C.- Classified documents and internal communications obtained by [Publication Name] reveal significant disagreements within the U.S.government over the Biden administration's strategy to push for a negotiated settlement to the war in Ukraine.
The materials, which include diplomatic cables, meeting summaries, and policy memos, highlight tensions between officials advocating for a more assertive peace initiative and those warning against undermining Ukraine's battlefield momentum or conceding too much to Russia,

Divisions Within the Administration


According to the documents, the State Department and the National Security Council (NSC) have been at odds over how aggressively Washington should pursue diplomatic off-ramps. Some officials, particularly in the NSC, have pushed for discreet backchannel talks with Moscow to explore potential ceasefire terms. However, others especially in the Pentagon and among U.S. allies in Europe- argue that pressing Ukraine toward negotiations now could weaken its position and reward Russian aggression.

One memo from a senior State Department official warns that "premature peace efforts risk fracturing the Western coalition and could embolden [Russian President Vladimir] Putin to escalate further."' Meanwhile an NSC briefing paper suggests that "prolonging the conflict indefinitely carries its own risks, including Ukrainian fatigue and global economic instability."

Ukraine's Stance Complicates Efforts

The documents also reveal frustration among some U.S. officials over Kyiv's reluctance to engage in talks while insisting on the full liberation of occupied territories, including Crimea. A diplomatic cable from the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv notes that Ukrainian officials view "any discussion of territorial concessions as a non-starter,' despite private concerns in Washington about the feasibility of Ukraine reclaiming all lost land militarily.

The documents also reveal frustration among some U.S. officials over Kyiv's reluctance to engage in talks while insisting on the full liberation of occupied territories, including Crimea.
A diplomatic cable from the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv notes that Ukrainian officials view "any discussion of territorial concessions as a non-starter,' despite private concerns in Washington about the feasibility of Ukraine reclaiming all lost land militarily.
European allies are similarly divided While France and Germany have reportedly expressed openness to a negotiated solution, Eastern European nations like Poland and the Baltic states strongly oppose any deal that leaves Russia in control of Ukrainian territory.

The Risk of a Frozen Conflict

Some analysts cited in the documents warn that without a clear diplomatic roadmap, the war could devolve into a protracted stalemate, draining Western resources and increasing the risk of unintended escalation. However, opponents of early negotiations argue that Putin cannot be trusted to uphold any agreement and that Ukraine must first secure a stronger military position.
The White House has publicly maintained that any peace process must be "Ukraine-led and Ukraine-owned," but the leaked materials suggest behind-the-scenes debates over how much pressure the U.S. should apply to Kyiv.

What Comes Next?

With U.S. elections approaching and Western military aid facing growing political scrutiny, the Biden administration faces mounting pressure to show progress toward ending the war. Yet as these documents reveal, there is no consensus on how-or whether- to steer Ukraine toward the negotiating table.
For now, the U.S. appears to be walking a tightrope: supporting Ukraine's counteroffensives while quietly laying the groundwork for potential talks. But as internal divisions persist, the path to peace remains as uncertain as ever.

The primary areas of difference in the two texts are over the sequencing for resolving questions over territory, the lifting of sanctions on Russia, security guarantees and the size of Ukraine's military.
While some of the divergences have been highlighted by sources close to the talks, the documents seen by Reuters set out for the first time the differences in full and explicit detail.
The first text reflects the proposals communicated by Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff to European officials in Paris that were in turn passed to the Ukrainians, according to sources close to the talks. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the proposals as a "broad framework, opens new tab" to identify differences between the sides.