Putin Demands Donetsk; Trump Floats Territorial Deal

Russian President Vladimir Putin told U.S. President Donald Trump in a lengthy call that he demands Ukraine surrender full control of Donetsk as a condition for ending the war, offering parts of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson in exchange. Trump, who met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, floated ending the fighting on the current line and suggested Kyiv may have to cede territory while stopping short of pledging long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine. Kyiv has firmly rejected giving up unoccupied lands and Zelensky urged allies not to appease Russia, calling for decisive support. The developments coincided with intensified fighting and strikes, including a reported Ukrainian drone strike that caused a large fire at Gazprom’s Orenburg gas processing plant and suspended processing of Kazakh gas, and reports that Russian forces used a new rocket-powered guided aerial bomb in Kharkiv. U.S. and European officials are divided—some U.S. aides view Putin’s proposal as progress while diplomats and Ukrainian leaders say concessions would be unacceptable—and Trump and Putin are planning further talks at an upcoming summit in Hungary.