In a call with President Trump, Vladimir Putin demanded Ukraine cede full control of Donetsk as a condition to end the war, according to U.S. officials cited by The Washington Post.
Washington, D.C. — Russian President Vladimir Putin has demanded that Ukraine surrender full control of Donetsk, a key industrial stronghold in eastern Ukraine, as a condition for ending the war, according to a Washington Post report citing two senior officials familiar with the leaders’ phone conversation last week.
Putin’s renewed insistence on seizing the entire Donetsk region — long the heart of Moscow’s territorial ambitions — underscores that Russia is not softening its demands, despite President Donald Trump’s optimism about securing a peace deal.
“Putin has tried and failed to conquer Donetsk for 11 years,” the officials said, noting that Ukrainian forces remain deeply entrenched in the area, which they regard as a crucial defensive bulwark against a further Russian advance toward Kyiv.
Putin’s Proposal: Donetsk for Concessions Elsewhere
During the call, Putin reportedly suggested he would relinquish partial claims to two other occupied Ukrainian regions — Zaporizhzhia and Kherson — if granted full sovereignty over Donetsk.
While that represents a narrower territorial demand than the sweeping annexation proposals floated in August at Trump and Putin’s Anchorage summit, Western diplomats said it remains unacceptable to Kyiv.
“It’s like selling them their own leg in exchange for nothing,” said one senior European diplomat familiar with the discussion.
Neither the White House nor the Kremlin has publicly confirmed the terms of Putin’s offer.
Trump’s Response: “Let Both Claim Victory”
President Trump has not publicly endorsed Putin’s demand but, following a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday, posted on social media:
“It is time to stop the killing, and make a DEAL! Enough blood has been shed, with property lines being defined by War and Guts. They should stop where they are. Let both claim Victory, let History decide!”
The statement appeared to hint that Trump envisions a freeze along current battle lines, effectively locking in Russia’s control of about 20% of Ukraine’s territory.
Ukraine Seeks Security Guarantees
According to the Post, Ukraine’s delegation arrived in Washington hoping to secure long-range Tomahawk missiles but left empty-handed.
Officials said Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff pressed Zelenskyy’s team to consider ceding Donetsk, arguing that it is largely Russian-speaking — a justification Kyiv and European officials reject as a Kremlin talking point.
“Many Ukrainians, including Zelenskyy, grew up speaking Russian,” one diplomat noted. “Language is not loyalty. To suggest otherwise is dangerous propaganda.”
Kyiv, however, has reportedly endorsed Trump’s ceasefire-at-current-lines proposal as a temporary measure, contingent upon robust U.S. and European security guarantees to prevent future Russian offensives.
Putin’s Leverage and Trump’s Balancing Act
The Post reported that Trump plans to meet Putin in Budapest in the coming weeks to continue negotiations, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio leading U.S. preparations.
Within the administration, some officials view Putin’s narrowed focus on Donetsk as a sign of possible compromise, while others warn it could be a tactical ploy to buy time and regroup militarily.
Asked Friday if he feared Putin was “playing for time,” Trump replied:
“I’ve been played all my life by the best of them, and I came out really well. It’s alright if it takes a little time — I think that I’m pretty good at this stuff.”
Stalemate Persists as Winter Nears
The front lines in Ukraine have barely shifted over the past year. Russia maintains control of roughly one-fifth of Ukraine, including Crimea, parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson.
As another harsh winter looms, both sides have resumed targeting energy infrastructure, with analysts warning that the humanitarian cost of prolonged stalemate could rival early phases of the war.
Trump, fresh off mediating the Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal, has framed ending the Ukraine war as his next diplomatic test. Whether he can translate rhetoric into results may hinge on how far Kyiv — and Moscow — are willing to compromise.
