The US President's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, revealed in an interview with CNN that Moscow is ready for"certain concessions" regarding five critical Ukrainian areas, which - as he said"are at the heart of the agreement".
Freezing the war only on the condition that Zelensky hands over Donbass
According to the BBC, the regions of Crimea, Lugansk, Donetsk, Zaporozhye and Kherson have been at the center of war and Russian threats since 2014. Crimea was illegally annexed by Russia in the spring of that year, while the other four regions were annexed in 2022, after referendums that the international community rejected as preliminary.
According to information reported by the Financial Times, Bloomberg and Reuters on Saturday, the Russian president proposed to Donald Trumpa"freeze" of military operations along the front line, on the condition that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky surrenders full control of the Donbass to Moscow.
As the map shows, this would require him to hand over the part of the Donbass that Russia has not yet taken control of.
It would also include most of Zaporozhye and Kherson in the south - which Russia has taken.
This proposal would include maintaining Russian influence in Zaporozhye, Kherson and Crimea, which would mean recognizing Russian conquests as"finished".
Europe skeptical
" The Russians have made certain concessions regarding these five regions," said the US president's special envoy.
He added:" Donetsk is a key issue that will be on the table tomorrow."
Witkoff expressed hope that the talks in the White House will lead to concrete decisions.
European countries are skeptical of such proposals. Diplomats warn that any territorial surrender could create a dangerous precedent for European security.
EU leaders insist on a firm stance towards Russia and demand clear guarantees for Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Kiev is ready for negotiations, but only on the basis of the current front line.
"The exchange of territories is impossible according to the Ukrainian constitution," Zelensky said, stressing that Russia has numerous demands, but that it will take time to consider them all.
