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US President Donald Trump served as the messenger to convey Russia’s proposal to Zelenskyy during a private briefing held after he met with Putin in Alaska on Friday
Trump, Putin and Zelenskyy (Reuters)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected an offer reportedly made by Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt fighting along current front-line positions in return for Kyiv ceding full control of the Donetsk region.
US President Donald Trump served as the messenger to convey Russia’s proposal to Zelenskyy during a private briefing held after he met with Putin in Alaska on Friday.
After the Alaska talks, Trump said Ukraine should move toward a peace deal with Moscow, remarking, “Russia is a very big power, and they’re not.”
The Alaska summit, which lasted three hours, was the first face-to-face engagement between Washington and Moscow since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Zelenskyy has turned down the proposal, reported Reuters, citing sources.
Russia already holds around 20 per cent of Ukrainian territory, including nearly three-quarters of Donetsk, which it first moved into in 2014.
Trump added that he and Putin had agreed a peace settlement should be pursued without the precondition of a ceasefire — a condition that Ukraine and its European partners, until now backed by Washington, have consistently insisted on.
Donetsk serves as an industrial region that is one of Moscow’s main targets.
“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 posted on Truth Social.
Zelenskyy has ruled out ceding territory, saying constitutional changes would be required for any such move.
He described Sloviansk and Kramatorsk in Donetsk as key defensive hubs that continue to block deeper Russian advances. Zelenskyy has also pressed for binding security guarantees to shield Ukraine from future attacks.
He noted that his discussions with Donald Trump included “positive signals from the American side” on potential US involvement, but stressed that Kyiv seeks a lasting settlement rather than “another pause” in the conflict.
Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet Trump in Washington on Monday, with European leaders expected to participate, The New York Times reported, citing senior European officials.
European governments have cautiously welcomed the talks while reaffirming support for Ukraine. They also signalled plans for tougher sanctions on Moscow, underscoring that any deal must uphold Ukraine’s sovereignty.
Ronit Singh, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking News team. He has a keen focus on Indian politics and aims to cover unexplored angles. Ronit is an alumnus of Christ (Deemed to be…Read More
Ronit Singh, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking News team. He has a keen focus on Indian politics and aims to cover unexplored angles. Ronit is an alumnus of Christ (Deemed to be… Read More
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