Russian President Vladimir Putin has demanded that Ukraine surrender full control of Donetsk, a strategically crucial region in eastern Ukraine, as a condition for ending the war, according to The Washington Post.The demand was made during a phone call with US President Donald Trump earlier this past week, the report said, citing two senior officials familiar with the conversation.
‘Not backing down’ from old terms
Putin’s insistence on Donetsk suggests the Kremlin is not backing away from long-held territorial ambitions that have kept the conflict at a stalemate, despite Trump’s optimism about brokering peace.Russia and its proxy forces have controlled parts of Donetsk since 2014, but have never succeeded in conquering the entire region. Ukrainian troops remain deeply entrenched, viewing the area as a critical buffer protecting the route to Kyiv.For over a decade, Putin has sought to dominate the region, repeatedly repelled by Ukrainian resistance.
Trump remains noncommittal
Trump has not publicly endorsed Putin’s latest demand. After his West Wing meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday, the US president struck a neutral tone, urging both sides to halt fighting.“It is time to stop the killing, and make a DEAL! Enough blood has been shed, with property lines being defined by War and Guts. They should stop where they are. Let both claim Victory, let History decide!,” Trump wrote on social media after meeting Zelenskyy.Trump is expected to meet Putin in Hungary in the coming weeks to continue discussions on a possible settlement, The Post reported.
Moscow offers partial concessions
In the same phone call, Putin reportedly indicated he might be willing to cede parts of two other partially occupied regions: Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, if granted full control of Donetsk.White House officials privately described the proposal as a “narrowing” of Russia’s earlier territorial demands. But European diplomat dismissed the move as hollow, with one official telling The Post: “It’s like selling them their own leg in exchange for nothing.”Neither the White House nor the Kremlin has commented on the report.
A stalled war, and shifting diplomacy
The front lines in Ukraine have remained largely static over the past year, with neither side making major gains. Russia currently controls roughly 20% of Ukrainian territory, more than three years after launching its full-scale invasion in February 2022.Trump has recently renewed his focus on ending the war following the Gaza ceasefire and hostage-exchange deal he helped broker. However, Kyiv left Friday’s talks in Washington disappointed, failing to secure long-range Tomahawk missiles it had sought from the US.
