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Russia to be welcomed back into the G8 under European peace plan for Ukraine

European, US, and Ukrainian officials met in Geneva on Sunday to discuss Donald Trump's 28-point peace plan which had been met with concern by world leaders

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Russia's President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting regarding the situation in the Kursk region
Russia's President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting regarding the situation in the Kursk region. Picture: GAVRIIL GRIGOROV/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

By Rebecca Henrys

Vladimir Putin would be welcomed back into the G8 under a European peace plan to end the Ukraine-Russia war.

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European, US, and Ukrainian officials met in Geneva on Sunday to discuss Donald Trump's 28-point peace plan which had been met with concern by world leaders.

Mr Trump's plan would see Kyiv hand over several concessions to the Russians including control of the eastern Donbas region, as well as its armed forces being cut in half, being barred from owning long-range missiles, and blocking it from hosting foreign troops.

European leaders, who met on the sidelines of the G20 summit on Saturday, issued a statement saying the plan was "a basis which will require additional work".

Following the meeting in Geneva at the weekend, Europe has presented a counterproposal that changes several key points of the American plan.

Read more: Marco Rubio hails 'productive' Ukraine peace process as Europe offers counter-proposals to US–Russia plan

Read more: Trump insists Ukraine peace plan is 'not his final offer' as Starmer raises concerns

US Secretary of state Marco Rubio, second left, Ukrainian head of presidential administration Andriy Yermak, second right, at the beginning of their talks with the Ukrainian delegation at the US Permanent Mission in Geneva.
US Secretary of state Marco Rubio, second left, Ukrainian head of presidential administration Andriy Yermak, second right, at the beginning of their talks with the Ukrainian delegation at the US Permanent Mission in Geneva. Picture: Alamy

US secretary of state Marco Rubio said: “We have a very good work product that was already built on a foundation of input from all the relative parties involved here, and we were able to go through some of those items now, point by point.

He continued: "We're working through it, making some changes in the hopes of furthering narrowing the differences and getting closer to something that both Ukraine and obviously the United States are very comfortable with."

The counterproposal offers several concessions such as capping the size of the Ukrainian army during peacetime, whereas the US proposal suggests a cap during both war and peacetime.

Ukraine's potential NATO membership depends on the consensus of NATO members, rather than, as the US suggested, the country renouncing any plans to pursue membership.

And, Russian sovereign assets will contribute towards the complete reconstruction and financial compensation of Ukraine.

However, the European plans also state that Russia will be reintegrated into the global economy by being allowed back into the G8 and sanctions lifted gradually.

It calls for Russia to sign a non-aggression policy towards Europe and Ukraine, plus, NATO will agree not to station its troops in Ukraine during peacetime.