Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly told former U.S. President Donald Trump that Ukraine must surrender additional territory if peace is to be achieved—setting up a tense diplomatic test for Trump as he prepares to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on Monday.
According to sources briefed on Friday’s closed-door Alaska summit, Putin insisted that Russia must gain full control of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, including areas still held by Kyiv. In exchange, he suggested, Moscow would freeze the front lines elsewhere. Putin described the demand as essential to “end the war,” though Kyiv has consistently rejected any settlement that involves ceding sovereignty.
President Zelensky has repeatedly vowed not to surrender territory under Russian occupation. In recent weeks, he has warned Western partners that rewarding aggression with land would only embolden Moscow to escalate further. His upcoming Washington visit is expected to focus on military aid, U.S. security guarantees, and whether Trump can mediate a settlement acceptable to Kyiv without undermining Ukraine’s sovereignty.
The Alaska talks ended without agreement, leaving Trump caught between Moscow’s demands and Kyiv’s firm resistance. For Trump—who has long claimed he could end the war quickly if returned to office—the summit underscored both the difficulty of brokering peace and the high stakes for his credibility at home and abroad.
While Trump told reporters the discussions made “some great progress,” he admitted, “We didn’t get there.” Officials and analysts fear that Putin’s demands amount to an ultimatum that could legitimize Russia’s territorial gains in violation of international law.
Western allies are watching closely to see whether Trump will pressure Ukraine into talks on Moscow’s terms, or whether Zelensky’s firm stance will shape the White House discussions. For now, the message from Moscow appears blunt: peace comes only if Ukraine concedes more land—something Kyiv has made clear it will not accept.
