Russian President Vladimir Putin has signaled to the Trump administration that he is willing to end the war in Ukraine in exchange for full control of the Donbas region, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday.
The offer was reportedly made to Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, during a meeting in Moscow on Wednesday. European and Ukrainian officials said they were briefed by President Trump and Witkoff about the discussion.
Terms of Putin’s Proposal
Russia is seeking recognition of its control over Ukraine’s Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as well as the Crimean Peninsula, which Moscow annexed in 2014. Russian forces already hold most of Donetsk and Luhansk, though Ukrainian troops continue fighting in parts of both regions.
European leaders expressed concern that Putin’s proposal could be an attempt to avoid new penalties from President Trump, who is expected to impose secondary tariffs on Russia. They also questioned whether Putin would agree to give up claims on Ukraine’s Zaporizhia and Kherson regions.
Trump-Putin Summit Set for August 15
President Trump announced Friday that he will meet with Putin on August 15 in Alaska.
“The highly anticipated meeting between myself, as President of the United States of America, and President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, will take place next Friday, August 15, 2025, in the Great State of Alaska,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Trump said the summit had been in the works for some time. He insisted that no European leaders would be present and that Putin also agree to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Trump Pushes for Peace
“Putin, I believe, wants to see peace, and Zelensky wants to see peace,” Trump said Friday at the White House. He added that there could be “some swapping” of territories between Russia and Ukraine, describing the situation as “very complicated” but with changes “to the betterment of both.”
Trump’s deadline for Russia to reach a peace agreement expired Friday, unless he decides to extend it. Asked if the deadline was still firm, he replied, “We’re going to see what [Putin] has to say. It’s going to be up to him.”
Conflict Continues Amid Diplomatic Moves
The war has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives over the past three years. Despite the ongoing diplomatic push, Putin has continued missile and drone strikes against Ukrainian cities.
Last week, Trump repositioned two nuclear submarines after former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev called his ultimatum to Putin a “step towards war.”
