Russia Scales Back Ukraine Donetsk Territorial Demands

Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan revealed that Russia has scaled back its territorial demands in the Ukraine conflict, no longer insisting on full control of four Ukrainian regions but seeking to hold only 25-30% of Donetsk and maintain lines in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. This shift was reportedly discussed during a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump in Alaska, marking a potential step toward conflict resolution. Fidan described this as the "beginning of the end" and noted that Moscow agreed to guarantee these conditions through a security mechanism, which could lay the groundwork for a future settlement despite posing challenges for Ukraine. Ukraine has traditionally rejected territorial concessions, with President Zelensky emphasizing the need for diplomatic solutions. The talks, facilitated by Turkey and involving exchanges on prisoners and civilians, also included proposals for a leaders-level meeting involving Ukraine, Russia, the U.S., and Turkey to further negotiate peace. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to disclose details of the Alaska talks, citing concerns it could hinder the peace process.