Trump Envoy Misinterprets Putin Demands Amid Ukraine Talks

President Donald Trump is set to meet Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska on August 15 to discuss a potential negotiated settlement to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Trump and his allies, including Fox News host Pete Hegseth, argue that Trump’s decisive approach has pressured Putin to engage in talks, with possibilities of territorial concessions and land swaps being considered. However, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, tasked with facilitating diplomacy, has faced criticism for apparent inconsistencies and misunderstandings in conveying Putin's conditions to European officials, including a misinterpretation of Putin's demand for a 'peaceful withdrawal' from Ukrainian territories. Putin reportedly insists on continued Russian control over regions including Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia, Kherson, and Crimea, complicating peace efforts. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that any peace decisions made without Ukraine's involvement will be ineffective and opposed. The situation remains tense, highlighted by ongoing Russian attacks in Ukrainian territories even as diplomatic efforts proceed.