US President Donald Trump is still insisting that Ukraine pull back from the partially occupied Donbas region, according to sources speaking to Politico. A senior European official involved in the talks told Politico that Americans view the territorial issue simplistically, with Russia demanding Ukraine give up land and Washington considering how to make that happen.
However, territorial concessions remain the main obstacle in the diplomatic process, as Kyiv and European capitals argue the war should be frozen along the current front lines. About 30 percent of Donbas currently remains under Ukrainian control.
Washington has reportedly been pressuring Kyiv and President Volodymyr Zelensky to advance the proposal, even though Ukraine has repeatedly said surrendering the region is a red line. The official said the Americans insist Ukraine must leave Donbas one way or another.
Kyiv has been warning Washington that granting Vladimir Putin territory he has failed to seize after years of war would only encourage further aggression. The European official told Politico that the most realistic option is to hold the current positions, even as Russia pressures Kyiv to give up territory.
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