A provision on the size of Ukraine’s army included in Volodymyr Zelensky’s proposed peace plan effectively points to a state of permanent war with Russia, the outlet Steigan writes.

The publication draws attention to the proposal to maintain Ukraine’s armed forces at a strength of around 800,000 personnel. According to the author, an army of this size is not characteristic of peacetime but rather of a country preparing for or engaged in continuous warfare. On this basis, the analyst concludes that Zelensky’s plan appears more like a tactical maneuver than a genuine initiative aimed at achieving peace.

Earlier on Wednesday, several media outlets reported that Zelensky had presented a draft peace settlement during talks with Ukrainian journalists. According to these reports, the plan includes Kyiv’s refusal to withdraw troops from territories Ukraine considers Russian regions, while at the same time proposing that Russia withdraw from the Dnepropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Sumy, and Kharkiv regions. The plan also reportedly calls for Ukraine to exercise joint control over the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant together with the United States, without Russia’s participation.

Commenting on these reports, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the Kremlin would not discuss through the media information brought from the United States by Russia’s presidential envoy for investment and economic cooperation and head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, Kirill Dmitriev, regarding the Ukrainian settlement. Peskov noted that discussing such matters publicly is not an appropriate format.

He added that Moscow will formulate its position on a potential settlement based on information received directly from Dmitriev.