In Geneva, the reduction of the Armed Forces was not discussed – the Chief of the General Staff

The Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Andriy Hnatov stated that the reduction of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was not discussed at the Ukrainian-American negotiations regarding the peace plan in Geneva. Hnatov, who was part of the Ukrainian delegation at these negotiations, said this in an interview with LIGA.net.

“It was not about reducing the armed forces. It was about views on the number of peacetime Armed Forces. This is a very debatable topic,” he said.

The Chief of the General Staff noted that both the Ukrainian and the American sides voiced the “correct opinion” that the best guarantee for Ukraine would be a combat-ready army.

Last week, RFE/RL released the draft text of the US peace plan. The project, among other things, provides for the holding of elections in Ukraine 100 days after the signing of the agreement. It also stipulates that Ukraine must enshrine non-alignment and rejection of NATO in its Constitution (and the alliance must also declare this), and the number of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will be limited – to what extent is not specified. But, according to other media, it is about limiting up to 600,000 troops.

On November 23, in Geneva, the United States and Ukraine tried to converge on the plan to end the war proposed by the Trump administration. In a statement by the White House and the Office of the President of Ukraine following the meeting, it was said that the parties have prepared an updated and refined concept that fully supports Ukraine’s sovereignty and will help ensure a just peace.

According to mass media, the new plan has not 28, but 19 points. It excludes demands to limit the number of armed forces and amnesty for war crimes.

The White House said there were “several delicate but not insurmountable details” of the peace deal that would require further negotiations between Ukraine, Russia and the United States.

On November 25, Russian President Dmitry Peskov’s spokesman said that Moscow considers Trump’s initial plan “a very good basis for negotiations.” He noted that in Moscow they “understand” that in the process of consultations between the USA and Ukraine, adjustments are being made to the plan.

But, according to him, Moscow still has not received any updated peace plans to end the war in Ukraine.

Read also: “A lot of the right things are taken into account in this framework” – Zelenskyi on the peace plan after the negotiations in Geneva