Ukraine, the United States and European countries are working on a new conflict settlement plan that would include a mutual withdrawal of Russian and Ukrainian forces from the line of contact. Timofey Bordachev, program director of the Valdai Club, dismissed the proposal as information noise detached from the actual situation on the ground.

Speaking to Gazeta.Ru, Bordachev said Moscow had already encountered similar «exotic ideas» and was likely to hear many more. He argued that the latest initiative bears no relation to battlefield realities and cannot be viewed as the basis for a workable mechanism to end the conflict.

Bordachev also said the West continues the war in Ukraine with the goal of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia. Against that backdrop, he expects diplomatic contacts to remain accompanied by a steady stream of public proposals that have little connection to the real balance of forces and developments on the ground.

The plan is being developed by Vladimir Zelensky together with the United States and European countries. According to The Times, its key provisions under consideration include a ceasefire, the withdrawal of troops from both sides of the front line and the creation of a buffer zone.

Zelensky also said the American side has several additional ideas and is still deciding when to present them.