The Russian dictator has already reportedly expressed his willingness to give up parts of Ukraine's Zaporizhia and Kherson regions occupied by the Russian army in exchange for Donetsk, The Washington Post reported, adding that this demand is"somewhat less ambitious" than Putin's position during talks with Trump in Alaska in August.

Several White House officials described it as progress, said one official briefed on the content of the Putin-Trump conversation. The Ukrainians, of course, do not see it that way, said another official.

Putin's focus on Donetsk shows that he is not backing down from the previous demands that have led to the conflict reaching an impasse, sources told The Washington Post.

Trump has not publicly commented on Putin's demand for all of Donetsk and did not mention it in his statement Friday after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House.

Trump plans to meet with Putin in Hungary in the coming weeks to continue talks on ending the war in Ukraine.

"It's time to stop the killing and make a deal! Enough blood has been shed (..). They should stop where they are. Let both claim victory, let history decide!" Trump wrote on social media on Friday after meeting with Zelensky.

It has already been reported that Zelensky failed to obtain the long-range Tomahawk missiles that Ukraine had hoped for during his meeting with Trump. Informed sources described the conversation between the two leaders as tense and uncomfortable.