Under the peace proposals discussed between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump at a summit in Alaska, Russia would give up small parts of Ukraine it has occupied, and in return, Kiev would hand over to Russia most of the eastern territories that Moscow has been unable to capture, APA reports that Reuters reported this in a large report citing sources informed about Moscow's position.
The information reportedly emerged a day after Trump and Putin met at a military air base in Alaska. It should be noted that this was the first meeting between the US president and the Kremlin leader since before the start of the Ukraine war.
According to the report, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will travel to Washington on Monday to discuss possible solutions to the war with Trump.
Although he failed to achieve the ceasefire he wanted at the summit, Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity in an interview that he and Putin had negotiated and largely agreed on land swaps and security guarantees for Ukraine.
"Maybe we're very close to a deal, Ukraine has to agree to it. Maybe they'll say no," Trump said.
Two sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, said their reports of Putin's proposals were based largely on discussions between European, US and Ukrainian leaders and were not complete.
Trump briefed Zelensky and European leaders on the discussions immediately after the summit.
It is still unclear whether Putin's proposals are a starting position for negotiations or an unchangeable "final offer."
Peace in exchange for Ukrainian lands
Some of the conditions proposed by Putin seem unacceptably difficult for the Ukrainian leadership.
Putin believes a ceasefire is only possible after a comprehensive peace agreement is reached. Zelensky notes that they are under daily attacks from Russian drones and ballistic missiles.
According to sources, under the proposed agreement with Russia, Kiev would have to completely withdraw from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, in exchange for which Russia would agree to freeze the front line in the Kherson and Zaporizhia regions.
Ukraine has already made it clear that it will not accept a withdrawal from its territories, including Donetsk, which Kiev says serves as a vital line of defense against deeper Russian attacks.
According to sources, Russia is ready to return small areas of land it has occupied in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions. Russia currently controls a total of about 440 square kilometers in these regions. For comparison, Ukraine controls about 6,600 square kilometers in the Donbas (the region that includes the Donetsk and Luhansk regions).
According to sources, the Russian leader also wants official recognition of his sovereignty over Crimea, a claim Kiev and its European allies have vehemently rejected.
Putin also expects some sanctions against Russia to be lifted, but sources did not clarify whether this would only apply to European sanctions or to the United States as well.
Under the proposed deal, Ukraine would not be allowed to join NATO, but Putin would agree to certain security guarantees for Ukraine. Trump has raised the issue of non-NATO “Article 5”-like guarantees for Ukraine in talks with European leaders, the sources said.
According to NATO's Article 5, an attack on one of the alliance's 32 members is considered an attack on all. Ukraine's NATO membership is a strategic goal enshrined in the country's constitution.
Sources said that Russia also demands that the Russian language be given official status in Ukraine, as well as that the Russian Orthodox Church operate freely.
Ukraine's Security Service accuses the Moscow-linked church of spreading Russian propaganda and harboring spies. The church denies the allegations and says it has severed ties with Moscow. Ukraine has already passed a law banning religious organizations affiliated with Russia, but has not yet implemented it.
