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Dec. 24 (UPI) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky unveiled a 20-point peace plan hammered out in negotiations in Miami over the weekend that provides strong NATO-style security guarantees in exchange for land concessions. He said the plan was now being reviewed by Moscow.

Detailing the plan on Tuesday, Zelensky said “the main framework” included affirmation of Kyiv’s sovereignty, a non-aggression pact, a means to monitor the final border, Ukraine‘s non-nuclear status and limits on its military to 800,000 troops, The Kyiv Independent and RBC-Ukraine reported.

The plan also contains Ukraine-U.S.-Europe security guarantees, U.S.-Ukraine security guarantees, and a 15-year plan for Ukraine’s recovery and economic development involving raising as much as $800 billion.

European Union membership for Ukraine will form part of the security guarantees.

The document, which emerged from a 28-point-plan drafted by the White House and the Kremlin and first floated by President Donald Trump in mid-November, was expected to be delivered to the Kremlin by U.S. officials later Wednesday.

An immediate cease-fire comes into force as soon as Ukraine, the United States, Europe, and Russia sign — with Ukraine commiting to hold elections as soon as possible afterward. Who would sign on behalf of Europe was yet to be decided.

“We have made significant progress toward finalizing the documents,” Zelensky said.

However, Kyiv wants to put the plan to the people of Ukraine in a referendum which would take at least two months.

The main sticking point of territory remains with the plan calling for the frontlines in Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions to form the de facto border, while Russia will pull out of Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Sumy, and Kharkiv regions.

The United States has proposed a compromise acceptable to both sides under which Ukrainian forces pull out of areas of its Donetsk region that Kyiv still controls in favor of a demilitarized “free economic zone” that Russian forces would not advance into.

“We are in a situation where the Russians want us to withdraw from Donetsk Oblast, while the Americans are trying to find a way for us not to withdraw because we are against withdrawal,” Zelensky said.

“We consider a free economic zone a potential option for a sovereign state to choose such a path. We fought for a single word — ‘potential.’ We believe that such potential economic zones can exist,” he added.

“If all regions are included and if we remain where we are, then we will reach an agreement. That is why it says ‘potential zones’ here. But if we do not agree to ‘remain where we are,’ there are two options: either the war continues, or something will have to be decided regarding all potential economic zones.”

Zelensky’s mention of other potential economic zones refers to his preferred solution to the other big outstanding issue of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which has been occupied by Russian forces since shortly after their full-scale invasion in 2022.

Ukraine opposes a U.S. plan under which Ukraine, Russia and the United States share equal control with Washington having overall jurisdiction, with Kyiv instead pushing for a U.S.-Ukraine partnership under which they would split the electricity generated 50-50.

Dec. 12 (UPI) — Britain’s King Charles III is making good progress in his personal fight against cancer and will undergo precautionary treatments in 2026.

Charles, 77, announced his progress in a video released Friday, and he credited his recovery to the “remarkable advances that have been made in cancer care in recent years,” according to CNN.

“Today, I am able to share with you the good news that thanks to early diagnosis, effective intervention and adherence to ‘doctor’s orders,’ my own schedule of cancer treatment can be reduced in the new year,” Charles said in a video filmed ahead of a special event to benefit the Cancer Research UK charity.

The king was diagnosed with cancer in early 2024 after undergoing a medical procedure on his prostate, but he does not have prostate cancer.

The exact type of cancer with which Charles is afflicted has not been reported, the BBC said.

The king said treatments are going so well that they are entering a “precautionary phase,” but his cancer is not in remission or otherwise cured.

His video speech for the charitable cancer fundraiser encourages viewers to undergo regular cancer screenings.

“Early diagnosis quite simply saves lives,” Charles said.

“I know from my own experience that a cancer diagnosis can feel overwhelming,” he added. “Yet, I also know that early detection is the key that can transform treatment journeys, giving invaluable time to medical teams.”

The U.K. National Health Service offers cancer screening programs for breast, bowel and cervical cancers for people of qualifying ages.

It also is rolling out a lung cancer screening program for adults between ages 55 and 74 and who have been or currently are tobacco smokers.

The king has stayed relatively silent about his cancer diagnosis and treatments until recording the video message.

He also participated in an Advent service at Westminster Abbey earlier in the week and has continued working to prevent cancer from defining his current existence, according to the BBC.