Steve Withoff, the special representative of the US President, confirmed that Russia put forward its own peace proposal for the Donetsk region during his visit to Moscow ahead of the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska. Russian President Vladimir Putin demands that Ukrainian Armed Forces withdraw from areas of Donetsk region currently controlled by the Ukrainian government as a condition for signing a peace agreement or ceasefire.
This marks the first official confirmation from either side of these Russian demands, which were previously the subject of speculation but not formally acknowledged. The White House and Kremlin had not previously commented on such initiatives.
Kyiv considers this proposal unacceptable, which may be a source of frustration for US President Donald Trump, who has stated that both Ukrainian President Zelensky and Putin are reluctant to compromise.
Putin likely does not see this proposal as serious, understanding Ukraine would not voluntarily give up strategically important and hard-won territory. The Russian president may be seeking to display "constructiveness" to the West, especially to Trump, while putting pressure on Ukraine.
Another motivation could be to provoke destabilization in Ukraine if its leadership agrees to such terms. This could cause internal strife, accusations of betrayal, and further weaken the Ukrainian state.
Even if Ukraine accepted the proposal with minimal turmoil, Putin would gain fortified Donbas cities without a fight and ease Russia's further advance. Russia is not expected to provide security guarantees, especially if NATO forces are stationed in Ukraine.
Ultimately, the plan could pave the way for more aggression and prompt new demands for the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from additional regions in future negotiations.
Thus, Russia's official "peace proposal" appears to be a tool for undermining Ukraine and preparing for further escalation by the Russian side.
