As The Wall Street Journal has learned, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin asked US President's envoy Steve Witkoff to convey to Donald Trump that Russia would cease hostilities in Ukraine in exchange for significant territorial concessions from Kyiv and international recognition of the occupied territories.
Points of attention
- Insider information reveals that the proposal consists of two stages, with the hope of reaching a final peace plan through negotiations involving Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky.
- Despite skepticism, US President Trump finds the proposal attractive enough to consider discussing it during a potential personal meeting with Putin.
What Putin wants from Trump
According to insiders, the Russian dictator told Witkoff that he would agree to an end to the war if Ukraine withdrew its troops from the entire territory of the Donetsk region.
In this way, the Kremlin wants to gain legitimate control over the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as well as Crimea, which was occupied in 2014.
Kyiv and Brussels have already warned Washington that the Kremlin is not making any significant commitments other than a cessation of hostilities.
They said they feared Putin was simply using the proposal as a tactical move to avoid tough new sanctions and tariffs from the US, with no real intention of ending the war.
Anonymous sources reported: Witkoff told Trump that Putin's proposal consists of two stages.
Ukraine withdraws troops from Donetsk region, and the front line is frozen;
Putin and Trump agree on a final peace plan, which will later be agreed upon with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky.
The US President believes that the idea of a Russian dictator is not a breakthrough, but it is attractive enough for them to discuss it during a personal meeting.
