Ukraine EU Membership By 2027 In US Peace Plan As Russia Demands Full Donbas Withdrawa
Leaders at the centre of intensifying diplomatic efforts as Washington explores a peace framework that could reshape Europe’s political landscape while hard positions over territory and security remain unresolved. Image courtesy: AI generated picture via DALL-E
A sweeping US-backed draft peace plan to end the Russia-Ukraine war is triggering intense diplomatic activity across Europe, with proposals ranging from fast-tracking Ukraine’s European Union membership to contentious territorial concessions, even as fighting continues on the ground and Moscow hardens its demands.
According to the Financial Times, Ukraine could join the European Union as early as January 1, 2027, under a proposal being discussed by US and Ukrainian officials with backing from Brussels.
A senior source confirmed to AFP that the idea of accelerated EU accession is included in the latest version of Washington’s plan to end the nearly four-year-old conflict sparked by Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
What is at play over Ukraine’s EU membership?
EU membership normally takes many years and requires unanimous approval from all 27 member states. Several countries, most notably Hungary, have repeatedly voiced opposition to Ukraine’s accession.
However, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Washington has the leverage to persuade reluctant capitals. “The United States can take steps to unblock our path to the European Union,” Zelenskyy told reporters, noting that the US president has “various levers of influence.”
What’s the concern over the peace plan?
The proposal has also stirred controversy because it reportedly envisages Ukraine ceding some territory to Russia, a red line for Kyiv without robust Western security guarantees.
The French presidency said Europeans and Ukrainians want clarity on US and EU security commitments before any negotiations over land.
“We need full visibility on the security guarantees… before any settlement on contentious territorial issues,” the Elysee said ahead of high-level talks in Berlin involving Zelenskyy, EU leaders, and NATO officials.
How has Moscow hardened its stance on Ukraine?
Moscow, meanwhile, has signalled scepticism about attempts to amend a US plan it broadly supports.
Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said Russia fears the proposal is being “worsened” and reiterated Moscow’s core condition: a ceasefire is possible only after Ukrainian forces withdraw from the entire Donbas region.
“A ceasefire can only come about after the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops,” Ushakov told Kommersant, warning that if not achieved through talks, Russia would seek full control “by military means.”
What is the on-ground status of the Ukraine war?
Russia currently occupies all of Luhansk and roughly 80% of Donetsk, though Ukraine still holds key cities such as Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.
Ushakov suggested that under a peace deal, areas vacated by Ukrainian troops could be policed by Russia’s National Guard (Rosgvardiya), rather than regular army units, a proposal Kyiv and its allies have firmly rejected.
How has Ukraine gained the tactical upper hand at Kupiansk?
Despite Russia’s recent battlefield momentum, Ukraine reported a significant tactical success near Kupiansk, a strategic railway hub in the northeast.
Ukrainian forces said they retook several settlements and encircled Russian troops in parts of the city. Zelenskiy visited Kupiansk on Friday (December 12, 2025), appearing in a video wearing body armour at the city’s entrance.
“Today it is extremely important to achieve results on the front lines so that Ukraine can achieve results in diplomacy,” he said.
As US-mediated peace efforts gather pace, the situation underscores a central paradox of the war: diplomacy is accelerating, but the fighting and the stakes remain as intense as ever.
