Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. Photo: Jim Watson / AFP
Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered to stop the war in Ukraine along the current frontline as part of a potential peace deal with the United States. The Financial Times reports this with reference to informed sources familiar with the details of the negotiations.
The proposal was allegedly made during a meeting with Donald Trump’s emissary Steve Witkoff in early April in St Petersburg. According to the FT, Putin is ready to give up some of his territorial claims – in particular, parts of four Ukrainian regions (Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia) that remain under Kyiv’s control. Russia illegally annexed these regions in 2022, although it does not fully control them.
In response, according to the WSJ, Washington allegedly offered its own version of a possible deal, which would include the recognition of Crimea as Russian and Ukraine’s refusal to join NATO. Despite the absence of confirmation from the official White House, sources suggest that this is a test case by the US.
Kyiv is strongly against it: “No concessions to the aggressor”
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday categorically rejected any idea of recognising Crimea or other occupied territories as belonging to Russia. “These are our lands, the territory of the Ukrainian people,” he said. Zelenskyy stressed that such talks only play into the Kremlin’s plans and prolong the war on terms favourable to Russia.
New diplomatic activity: Trump wants “peace in a week”
According to Reuters, Steve Witkoff is planning a new trip to Moscow for further consultations – for the fourth time in three months. This comes on the heels of Donald Trump’s statements promising to “stop the war in 24 hours” if re-elected. So far, despite three months since he returned to the White House, there has been no real breakthrough in the negotiations.
Europe is worried: Moscow pressures, Trump may back down
According to the FT, European diplomats fear that Putin’s proposal is an attempt to force Trump to accept terms favourable to Moscow. They are also concerned about the possible exclusion of the EU from the negotiation process, even though it is European countries that have imposed the most extensive sanctions on Russia.
Kremlin: “These are fakes. Listen to us”
Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov, in a commentary to RIA Novosti, questioned the authenticity of the FT article, saying that “there are many fakes published, even in respected media” and urged to rely on “primary sources”.
An interim ‘truce’ and a new attack
Last week, Putin announced a 30-hour “Easter truce”, but the fighting resumed. Strikes on civilian infrastructure resumed on Monday. Kyiv sees this as another manoeuvre to manipulate the West.
