Trump Backs Putin’s Donbas Proposal in Alaska Talks, Setting Stage for High-Stakes White House Showdown
In a dramatic twist to the long-running Russia-Ukraine war, U.S. President Donald Trump has thrown his support behind Vladimir Putin’s proposal for Moscow to take full control of the Donbas region while freezing the front lines elsewhere, according to a European diplomat who spoke with Fox News.
The Donbas—home to some 6.5 million people before the war—includes the embattled Luhansk and Donetsk regions. Putin, during his closed-door meeting with Trump in Alaska on Friday, reportedly reiterated Moscow’s demand for full sovereignty over the territory, while signaling he may be willing to halt further advances in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.
Trump briefed European allies shortly after, telling them the Russian leader appeared open to a “long-term settlement,” but insisted on enshrining Russian control over the Donbas.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, however, remains steadfastly opposed. Kyiv still controls about 30% of Donetsk, and Zelenskyy has repeatedly warned that abandoning it would be unconstitutional and strategically dangerous—handing Moscow a launchpad for future aggression. “Ukraine will not surrender its land,” Zelenskyy has maintained.
The timing is critical: Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet Trump at the White House on Monday, with the Donbas question certain to dominate the agenda.
Notably, Trump also shifted his stance over the weekend. Once a vocal supporter of a temporary ceasefire, he now insists only a full peace deal can end the bloodshed. “It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war… is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, and not a mere Ceasefire, which often times do not hold up,” Trump declared on social media.
European reactions have been cautious. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told ZDF that Trump suggested Russia is prepared to negotiate along the current “line of contact” rather than Ukraine’s legal borders—a signal that Western capitals may be forced to grapple with legitimizing Russian territorial gains.
Still, a joint statement from European leaders avoided taking sides, merely “welcoming President Trump’s efforts to stop the killing in Ukraine, end Russia’s war of aggression, and achieve just and lasting peace.”
For Putin, the Alaska talks appear to have opened a new channel. He described the discussions as “very frank” and praised Washington’s urgency. “We respect the position of the American administration, which sees the need for a speedy end to military actions,” Putin said, adding that Moscow is ready to “resolve all issues by peaceful means.”
As Zelenskyy prepares for his White House visit, the battle lines are no longer just in Ukraine—they are being redrawn in Washington, Brussels, and Moscow. The coming week could determine whether Trump’s peace push marks a turning point or another chapter in Europe’s most dangerous conflict since World War II.
