Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed a two-stage peace initiative to end the war in Ukraine, calling for Ukrainian forces to withdraw from the entire Donetsk region and for international recognition of Russian sovereignty over Donetsk, Luhansk and Crimea.
The proposal, conveyed during a meeting in Moscow with U.S. special envoy Steve Whitcoff, would begin with a Ukrainian withdrawal from Donetsk and a freeze on current front lines.
A second phase would include negotiations over a potential “land swap” in the partially Russian-controlled regions of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. It remains unclear whether Kyiv would receive territorial compensation or security guarantees under the plan.
U.S. President Donald Trump, who is running for re-election, announced he will meet Putin in Alaska on Aug. 15 to discuss the proposal, describing it as “a step worth exploring.” Trump suggested a deal could include territorial arrangements between Moscow and Kyiv.
The White House confirmed that the National Security Council has held extensive consultations with Ukrainian and European officials following the Whitcoff–Putin meeting but declined to disclose details of the Russian offer.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy firmly rejected any territorial concessions, stating, “Ukrainians will not give up their land to the occupier.” He added that any agreement reached without Ukraine’s involvement would be “a decision against peace.”
Zelenskyy reiterated Ukraine’s readiness to consider steps toward “a just peace” only if Russia fully withdraws and strong security guarantees are provided.
European capitals expressed skepticism about the Russian initiative, warning it could be a tactical move to ease economic pressure on Moscow and avoid further U.S. sanctions. The concerns follow a recent decision by Washington to impose a 50% tariff on oil imports from India, one of Russia’s key crude buyers.
The diplomatic developments come amid intensified Russian military strikes across Ukraine, including attacks on civilian areas near Kyiv and the city of Bucha, the site of a 2022 massacre. Ukrainian officials reported a surge in missile and drone attacks since the start of the year, and Donetsk’s regional governor announced plans to evacuate families from 19 villages in the eastern part of the region.
Ahead of the upcoming summit, Putin has held talks with leaders of China, India and other countries to discuss the evolving situation. The Kremlin also extended an invitation to Trump to visit Russia following the Alaska meeting.
The summit will mark the first direct meeting between Putin and a sitting or former U.S. president since his 2021 talks with Joe Biden in Geneva, and the first with Trump since the 2019 G-20 summit in Japan.
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