Reuters: Putin wants Ukraine to give up Donbas, not join NATO, and not host foreign troops

Russia's President Vladimir Putin is demanding that Ukraine give up all territory of the eastern Donabs region, not target NATO membership, remain neutral and do not accept Western troops on its territory, the news agency has been told “ Three sources close to high-level discussions in the Kremlin.

Russian President met with US counterpart Donald Trump last Friday in Alaska and spent nearly all three hours of closed-door discussion talking about what Ukraine's compromise might look like, according to sources that asked to remain anonymous.

Speaking next to Trump, Putin said he hoped the meeting with the American president would pave the way to peace in Ukraine, but neither of the leaders gave details about what they had discussed.

In the most detailed Russian-based report to date about Putin's bid to the summit, the agency “Reuters” managed to outline the drawings of how the Kremlin would like to see the possible peace agreement for ending the war in Ukraine.

Russian sources said Putin has essentially compromised over territorial requirements he submitted in June 2024, where Kiev was required to hand over the four provinces, which Moscow claims are already part of Russia: Donesk and Luhansk east of Ukraine, which make up Donabs, as well as Kherson and Zaporizian in the south.

In his new proposal, the Russian president has insisted that Ukraine be completely withdrawn from the parts of Donbas, still under control, according to three sources. In exchange, Moscow would be stopped at the actual front lines in Zapor bëjëija and Kherson, they added.

Russia controls about 88 percent of Donba's territory and 73 percent of Kherson and Zaporizia, according to estimates from the United States and data from open sources.

Sources said Russia is also ready to hand over small parts of Kharkiv, Sumy and Ukraine's Dnepropetrovsk regions as part of a possible deal.

Putin is also insisting on his earlier demands that Ukraine give up entry into NATO and ensure a legally binding pledge by NATO that the alliance will not further expand to the east, as well as restrictions on the Ukrainian Army and an agreement that foreign troops will not be deployed on the ground in Ukraine as part of a peacekeeping force, sources said.

The Ukraine Foreign Ministry did not have immediate comments about the proposals. President Voldymyr Zelensky has repeatedly dismissed the idea of withdrawing from Ukrainian territory internationally recognised as part of an agreement and has said the industrial region of Donabs serves as a fortress that repels the advance of Russians deeper within Ukraine.

If we're just talking about pulling from the east, we can't do this” he told reporters. “It's a matter of survival of our country, which includes the strongest lines of defence” ) Zelensky added.

The White House and NATO did not immediately respond to requests for comments about Russian proposals. /Periscopi