Putin demands Donetsk in call with Trump as peace obstacles emerge

Russian president Vladimir Putin, in a telephone call last week with US President Donald Trump, demanded the handover of Donetsk – a strategically important region in eastern Ukraine – as a key prerequisite for ending the war.

The information was conveyed by two senior officials with knowledge of the content of the conversation, noting that this request highlights the obstacles in the attempt to reach a peace agreement.

The Russian President has been trying unsuccessfully for 11 years to conquer Donetsk, facing staunch resistance from Ukrainian forces, who consider the area crucial for preventing a rapid Russian advance towards Kyiv.

Putin’s insistence on this particular request shows that he is not backing down from his long-standing positions, despite Trump’s optimism about achieving an agreement, the officials told the Washington Post on condition of anonymity.

Since 2014, Russian or pro-Russian forces have controlled parts of Donetsk, but they have not managed to conquer the entire region.

Trump’s stance and the negotiations

Trump has not publicly commented on Putin’s request for full control of Donetsk. Following his meeting at the White House on Friday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump stated on social media:

“It’s time to stop the blood and make a DEAL! Enough blood has been shed. Let them stop where they are, let both declare victory, and let History decide.”

According to the same sources, during the phone call last Thursday, Putin allegedly proposed the ceding of parts of two other Ukrainian regions – Zaporizhzhia and Kherson – in exchange for full control of Donetsk. This proposal was seen by some White House officials as a “step forward” compared to the previous demands Putin had made during his meeting with Trump in Alaska in August.

However, European diplomats estimate that Kyiv is not going to accept such a compromise. “It’s like telling them to sell their own leg for nothing,” one European official commented.

Frontline stagnation

The frontlines between Russians and Ukrainians have essentially “frozen” over the past year, with neither side gaining a decisive advantage. Russia still controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory, following its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

After the ceasefire and hostage exchange agreement in Gaza, Trump has again turned his attention to ending the war in Ukraine. The Ukrainians, however, had hoped to secure approval for the delivery of Tomahawk missiles during Friday’s meeting, but left without concrete results.

The message of the talks and the next steps

Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, reportedly pressed the Ukrainian delegation for a potential concession of Donetsk, citing that the region is “predominantly Russian-speaking” – an argument that Kyiv considers propagandistic and a pretext.

Foreign Secretary Marko Rubio has taken charge of preparations for the upcoming summit in Budapest, where Trump and Putin are expected to discuss ending the war in Ukraine again. The Zelensky government has supported Trump’s proposal for a ceasefire, while simultaneously seeking strong security guarantees from the US and Europe to prevent a new Russian attack.

As another difficult winter approaches, with Russia striking Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, Trump appears willing to avoid sending heavy weapons and focus on reaching a diplomatic solution.

(Information from protothema.gr)