Trump–Putin Summit: Tentative Peace Proposals Leave Major Hurdles Ahead

 
Russia has floated proposals that would see Moscow relinquish small pockets of occupied Ukrainian territory while Kyiv cedes large areas of the east, according to sources briefed on discussions following President Vladimir Putin’s summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in Alaska.

The meeting, held at a U.S. Air Force base, marked the first direct encounter between an American president and the Kremlin chief since before the outbreak of the full-scale war in February 2022. The following day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy prepared to travel to Washington for talks with Trump on the potential framework for a settlement.

Although the Alaska summit ended without securing the ceasefire Trump had hoped for, the U.S. president told Fox News’ Sean Hannity that he and Putin had discussed land transfers and security guarantees, adding that they had “largely agreed.” Trump struck an optimistic tone, remarking: “I think we’re pretty close to a deal. Ukraine has to agree to it. Maybe they’ll say ‘no’.”

Land-for-Peace Proposals

Two sources, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the matter, indicated that Putin’s offer involved a complete Ukrainian withdrawal from the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions. In return, Russia would freeze the front lines in the southern regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.

Ukraine has consistently rejected any surrender of land, particularly in Donetsk, which it views as a vital defensive bulwark against deeper Russian advances. Moscow, however, signaled readiness to return smaller occupied tracts in the northern Sumy and northeastern Kharkiv regions — areas totalling roughly 440 square kilometers. In contrast, Ukraine controls about 6,600 square kilometers of the Donbas, the broader region encompassing Donetsk and Luhansk, which Russia claims as its own.

The proposals also implied Russia’s expectation of formal recognition of its sovereignty over Crimea, annexed in 2014 — a demand that Kyiv and its European allies have repeatedly dismissed. Additionally, Moscow seeks the easing of international sanctions, though it remains unclear whether this would involve U.S. measures, European restrictions, or both.

Security and NATO

Putin’s blueprint would bar Ukraine from joining NATO, a constitutional objective for Kyiv, though he appeared open to limited security guarantees for the country. European leaders, briefed by Trump after the summit, said he had raised the idea of an “Article 5-style” commitment outside the NATO framework. NATO’s Article 5 commits all 32 members of the alliance to collective defense in the event of an attack.

Trump, while discussing sanctions, indicated he was not immediately considering retaliatory tariffs on countries purchasing Russian oil despite Western restrictions but noted that such measures might become necessary “in two or three weeks.”

Cultural and Religious Demands

According to the sources, Russia also expects official status for the Russian language in parts of Ukraine and the freedom for the Russian Orthodox Church to operate across the country. Ukraine’s security services have accused the Moscow-linked church of aiding Russia’s war effort — allegations the church denies. Ukraine has already passed legislation banning religious organizations linked to Moscow, though enforcement of the law has yet to begin.

Uncertain Path Forward

It is not yet clear whether Putin’s proposals represent an opening gambit designed to initiate negotiations or a more rigid framework that Moscow intends to treat as non-negotiable. For Ukraine, the terms as reported present enormous political and strategic challenges, particularly given the daily toll of Russian missile and drone strikes.

As Zelenskiy prepares for crucial talks in Washington, the Alaska summit has laid bare both the possibility of movement and the deep divides that remain over what a lasting peace might look like.