Putin Lays Conditions to Halt Ukraine Conflict After Trump Meeting

Russian President Vladimir Putin outlined conditions for halting military actions in Ukraine during a recent summit with President Donald Trump in Alaska, demanding that Ukraine abandon its NATO aspirations, block Western troops from its territory, and relinquish control of the Donbas region. Moscow has offered to freeze current front lines in Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and southern areas like Kherson while conceding small parts of Kharkiv, Sumy, and Dnipropetrovsk regions. Despite these proposals, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy firmly rejected any withdrawal from Donbas, emphasizing its strategic importance and underscoring that Ukraine’s NATO path is a sovereign decision enshrined in its Constitution. The Kremlin’s demands have drawn skepticism amid ongoing Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities, highlighting the conflict’s continuing intensity and complicating prospects for peace talks. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov framed the conflict as protecting Russian speakers and security interests rather than territorial conquest, suggesting Moscow’s ultimate aim may be controlling Kyiv rather than full occupation. NATO officials view Putin’s demands as predictable but possibly a stalling tactic amid stalled front lines since 2023 and persistent territorial disputes.