The US and Russia are proposing a three-stage peace plan that includes elections in Ukraine.

This is according to Fox News.

Jacqui Heinrich, senior White House correspondent for Fox News, writes at X.

– Putin considers the probability of electing a puppet president to be quite high. He is also convinced that any candidate other than the current president of Ukraine would be more flexible and ready for negotiations and concessions. Trump, on the other hand, is willing to accept any election result, including the possibility of a pro-Russian puppet being elected. Trump and Putin consider the chances of the current president of Ukraine being re-elected to be low.

🚨NEWS w/ @NanaSajaia – US/Russia 3 stage peace proposal would force new Ukraine elections: foreign diplomatic sources

The US and Russia are proposing a three-stage peace plan, according to multiple foreign diplomatic sources close to the talks in Saudi Arabia. The plan includes…

— Jacqui Heinrich (@JacquiHeinrich) February 18, 2025

She goes on to say that the White House has not yet commented on the message, and she also reproduces what is said to be the Ukrainian assessment of the situation:

US and Russian officials held diplomatic talks in Saudi Arabia without any Ukrainian officials present on Tuesday.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov. They are trying to find terms for a peace deal in Ukraine, as well as negotiating a potential meeting between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

They have proposed a framework that could involve a ceasefire, elections in Ukraine followed by the signing of a peace agreement.

New elections in Ukraine?

Several foreign diplomatic sources say that forcing Ukraine to hold new elections could be an important part of a peace deal. Both the US and Russia believe that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj has little chance of winning re-election, the sources say.

Zelenskyj has refused to hold elections as long as the war continues. Many believe this is a clear violation of Ukraine’s constitution, but there are also many who support the Ukrainian president’s decisions in the crisis the country has found itself in over the past three years.

According to NTB, both Lavrov and Rubio say that they see great potential for a meltdown in relations between the US and Russia.

«Extraordinary opportunities,» says US Secretary of State Marco Rubio about relations with Russia if the war in Ukraine ends.

Lavrov, for his part, says there is «great interest in removing economic barriers between the US and Russia.»

– I think the talks were very useful. We not only listened to each other, but heard each other, and I have reason to believe that the American side better understood our position, Lavrov said after the meeting.

The EU will probably receive the message with the usual shock. What will Germany think about the energy issue if peace breaks out in Ukraine? Will they resume imports of Russian gas? This will be a severe blow to what little remains of German pride.

Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff emphasised on Sunday that the ongoing meeting in Riyadh is more about «confidence building» than going into the details of an actual peace deal.

Zelenskyi urged Trump not to trust Putin in a phone call last week.

– I said [Putin] is a liar, Zelenskyj said of the call.

– I think my feeling is that he is ready for these negotiations. And I said to him, «No, he’s a liar. He doesn’t want peace.»

At the same time, Zelenskyj said he thinks Putin is «a little afraid» of Trump, and he has repeatedly said he believes Trump will bring peace. But whether it will be the peace Zelenskyj wants remains to be seen.

Zelenskyj is highly critical of Tuesday’s meeting between the US and Russia, according to NTB-AFP.

– Talks are taking place between Russian and American representatives. About Ukraine – about Ukraine again – and without Ukraine, Zelenskyj said during a visit to Turkey.

No EU representatives are attending the meeting in Riyadh, which Fox News describes as «a notable absence» considering the stern rebuke of European allies that Vice President J.D. Vance delivered at the Munich Security Conference last week.