After US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin met in Alaska on Friday, the latter has put forth his condition to end the war in Ukraine. Putin demanded control over Ukraine’s eastern Donbas area in exchange for a ceasefire. He proposed that Ukraine withdraw from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions and offered a freeze along the remaining frontline, The Guardian reported, quoting sources familiar with the matter.
While Luhansk is under Russia’s control, cities like Kramatorsk and Sloviansk still remain with Ukraine. Putin’s proposal would give Russia control over these areas, and in return, he promised to halt further advances in southern regions like Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, which are currently occupied by Russian forces.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has time and again rejected ceding land to Russia, and on Saturday, European allies echoed similar sentiments as they reaffirmed that Ukraine’s borders must not be changed by force.
Zelenskyy-Trump meeting at the White House
This comes ahead of Zelenskyy’s scheduled meeting with Trump at the White House. In a phone call with Zelenskyy and other European leaders yesterday, after the Alaska summit, Trump made them aware of Putin’s demands, as per a report by The Washington Post citing sources.
He, as per his Truth Social post, ruled out a ceasefire to pursue a broader peace deal, which he thinks will “hold up”. He suggested that the conditions proposed by Russia could serve as a starting point for negotiations.
Trump also reportedly assured that Ukraine’s security would be safeguarded under any agreement, though he did not provide detailed specifics. European leaders welcomed the move, as they have long sought US support in resolving the conflict.
“It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
What did Putin and Zelenskyy say after talks with Trump?
After his call with Trump, Zelenskyy wrote, “A real peace must be achieved, one that will be lasting, not just another pause between Russian invasions.”
He also said that all the “killings must stop” and that there should be a ceasefire on both “battlefield and in the sky”. The Ukrainian President also said that Russia must return prisoners of war and civilians and that the US should impose more sanctions on Russia if it “to evade an honest end to the war”.
“All issues important to Ukraine must be discussed with Ukraine’s participation, and no issue, particularly territorial ones, can be decided without Ukraine,” he further said.
Although Trump and Putin did not reach a deal on ending the war in Ukraine, Putin described the summit in Alaska as “very useful” and “timely”. He also added that it brought them closer to the “right decisions”.