Anchorage, Alaska
Russian President Vladimir Putin is demanding that Ukraine fully cede the Donbas region, abandon its bid to join NATO, and agree to keep Western troops out of its territory as part of a proposed peace deal to end the war, according to a Reuters report citing three sources familiar with Kremlin discussions.
The proposal was reportedly at the center of a three-hour closed-door meeting between Putin and former U.S. President Donald Trump, marking their first summit in over four years. The summit, held in Alaska last Friday, focused heavily on exploring potential compromises in the conflict that has devastated Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
Shift in Russian Demands
According to the sources, Putin is no longer insisting that Ukraine surrender all four of the Ukrainian regions Russia claims—Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia. Instead, the latest proposal calls for Ukraine to withdraw only from the parts of the Donbas region it still controls. In exchange, Russia would halt its military advance in southern regions, including parts of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.
Russia currently controls approximately 88% of Donbas and about 73% of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, based on U.S. intelligence and open-source data. The Kremlin is also reportedly willing to relinquish small areas it holds in the Kharkiv, Sumy, and Dnipropetrovsk regions.
Despite these concessions, Putin remains firm on demands for Ukraine to formally abandon its NATO ambitions and for a binding agreement that no NATO expansion will occur further east. Additionally, the deal would require limits on Ukraine’s military and a ban on any Western troop deployments to Ukraine.
Kyiv Unmoved
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has strongly rejected any suggestion of withdrawing from Donbas, calling the region vital to Ukraine’s national defense and sovereignty.
“If we’re talking about simply withdrawing from the east, we cannot do that,” Zelensky said in recent remarks. “It is a matter of our country’s survival.”
Ukraine’s constitution enshrines NATO membership as a strategic goal. Zelensky has repeatedly stated that Moscow has no authority to dictate Ukraine’s alliances or foreign policy.
The Ukrainian foreign ministry has not issued an official comment on the latest Russian proposals.
Trump’s Peace Push
Trump, who has vowed to end the war if re-elected, described Putin as open to resolving the conflict. “I believe Vladimir Putin wants to see it ended,” Trump said during a joint appearance with Zelensky at the White House earlier this week. “I feel confident we are going to get it solved.”
Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is said to have played a key role in arranging the Alaska summit. He met with Putin in Moscow on August 6, where the Russian leader reportedly laid out his peace proposal in detail.
According to the Kremlin sources, Putin is open to a trilateral agreement between Russia, Ukraine, and the U.S., possibly formalized through the United Nations Security Council.
Doubts and Divisions
Despite the summit’s diplomatic progress, Western leaders remain skeptical of Moscow’s intentions. British, French, and German officials have expressed doubts about Putin’s sincerity, suggesting the proposal may be more about influencing Trump than genuinely seeking peace.
Political analysts also point out that Ukraine is unlikely to accept any plan involving territorial concessions. “A demand for Ukraine to withdraw from Donbas remains a non-starter,” said Samuel Charap, chair of Russia and Eurasia Policy at the RAND Corporation. “This could be more performance for Trump than an actual compromise.”
Uncertainty Over Zelensky’s Authority
Putin has questioned Zelensky’s legitimacy, noting that his presidential term officially ended in May 2024. However, Kyiv maintains that wartime conditions justify postponing elections and that Zelensky remains the lawful leader.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Putin is prepared to meet Zelensky but that major issues must first be resolved.
As diplomatic channels reopen, the key question remains: will either side be willing to accept a deal, or will the war continue with no end in sight?
