Putin offers to end war in Ukraine - But here's what he wants in return
Putin is set to meet US President Donald Trump on August 15 in Alaska, where discussions are expected to focus on ending the war
- Aug 10, 2025,
- Updated Aug 10, 2025 10:56 AM IST
In a move that could reshape the trajectory of the war in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin has told the US that he is willing to stop the ongoing conflict, but only in exchange for territorial concessions.
According to a Wall Street Journal report, Putin is demanding that Ukraine cede control of the Donbas region, along with Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014. In return, Russia has proposed a ceasefire, contingent on global recognition of these territorial changes.
Putin is set to meet US President Donald Trump on August 15 in Alaska, where discussions are expected to focus on ending the war. Trump, who has campaigned on the promise to resolve the Ukraine conflict, has acknowledged that land swaps could be part of the ceasefire agreement.
While the meeting is set between Putin and Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is notably excluded from these talks. Zelenskyy, who has consistently stated that Ukraine will not relinquish any of its territory, is unlikely to agree to Russia's demands.
"Ukraine will not give land to the occupier," Zelenskyy reiterated on Saturday, dismissing the idea of territorial concessions. He stressed that Ukraine seeks not a temporary ceasefire, but a permanent, real peace. "What is needed is not a pause in the killings, but a real, lasting peace immediately,” he said.
The exclusion of Ukraine from the discussions has led European allies to voice strong concerns. A joint statement from the leaders of the UK, France, Italy, Germany, Poland, Finland, and the European Commission stressed that any peace talks with Russia must include Ukraine. "The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine," the statement read. Zelenskyy himself warned that any agreement made without Ukraine’s participation would be deemed a "dead decision."
In response to concerns, a White House official later confirmed that President Trump was open to holding a trilateral meeting with both Putin and Zelenskyy. However, for now, the talks will proceed with just Trump and Putin, as the Russian leader initially requested. Trump had previously suggested that he might start by meeting only with Putin, indicating that the future of peace talks remains uncertain.
In a move that could reshape the trajectory of the war in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin has told the US that he is willing to stop the ongoing conflict, but only in exchange for territorial concessions.
According to a Wall Street Journal report, Putin is demanding that Ukraine cede control of the Donbas region, along with Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014. In return, Russia has proposed a ceasefire, contingent on global recognition of these territorial changes.
Putin is set to meet US President Donald Trump on August 15 in Alaska, where discussions are expected to focus on ending the war. Trump, who has campaigned on the promise to resolve the Ukraine conflict, has acknowledged that land swaps could be part of the ceasefire agreement.
While the meeting is set between Putin and Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is notably excluded from these talks. Zelenskyy, who has consistently stated that Ukraine will not relinquish any of its territory, is unlikely to agree to Russia's demands.
"Ukraine will not give land to the occupier," Zelenskyy reiterated on Saturday, dismissing the idea of territorial concessions. He stressed that Ukraine seeks not a temporary ceasefire, but a permanent, real peace. "What is needed is not a pause in the killings, but a real, lasting peace immediately,” he said.
The exclusion of Ukraine from the discussions has led European allies to voice strong concerns. A joint statement from the leaders of the UK, France, Italy, Germany, Poland, Finland, and the European Commission stressed that any peace talks with Russia must include Ukraine. "The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine," the statement read. Zelenskyy himself warned that any agreement made without Ukraine’s participation would be deemed a "dead decision."
In response to concerns, a White House official later confirmed that President Trump was open to holding a trilateral meeting with both Putin and Zelenskyy. However, for now, the talks will proceed with just Trump and Putin, as the Russian leader initially requested. Trump had previously suggested that he might start by meeting only with Putin, indicating that the future of peace talks remains uncertain.