Trump to talk Ukraine peace deal with Putin, land concessions in focus

A deal that could reshape Ukraine’s borders—Donald Trump is pushing for a peace agreement with Vladimir Putin, suggesting land concessions and nuclear plant control may be on the table.

“What’s happening in Ukraine is not good, but we’re going to see if we can work a peace agreement, a ceasefire and peace, and I think we’ll be able to do it,” Trump told reporters in Washington on Monday.

U.S. President Donald Trump is set to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, as he pushes for a Ukraine ceasefire deal that could involve territorial concessions. His remarks suggest control over land and the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant will be key issues in negotiations.

His push for a 30-day ceasefire, which Ukraine accepted last week, comes as both sides exchange heavy aerial strikes. Meanwhile, Russian forces continue to advance in the western Russian region of Kursk, pressing Ukrainian troops into retreat.

Trump said Ukrainian soldiers in Kursk were “in deep trouble,” encircled by Russian troops. He also suggested that his decision to freeze military aid to Ukraine earlier this month, and his recent Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, may have pushed Kyiv toward negotiations.

“A lot of people are being killed over there, and we had to get Ukraine to do the right thing,” he said. “But I think they’re doing the right thing right now.”

Zelenskyy warns of Russian stalling

Zelenskyy, in his nightly video address, accused Putin of delaying the war while pretending to negotiate. “This proposal could have been implemented long ago,” he said. “Every day in wartime means human lives.”

When asked about possible concessions, Trump was vague but pointed to land and infrastructure. “We’ll be talking about land. We’ll be talking about power plants... We’re already talking about that, dividing up certain assets,” he said, without elaborating.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later confirmed that the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, occupied by Russian forces, would be a key topic. The Kremlin declined to comment.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov acknowledged that Putin had sent Trump a message about the ceasefire via U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, who recently visited Moscow. Russian officials have expressed “cautious optimism” about a potential deal.

Western allies uneasy

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz warned that significant hurdles remain before any deal can be finalised. Waltz, speaking to ABC, questioned whether allowing Russia to keep occupied Ukrainian land was a price worth paying. “We have to ask ourselves, is it in our national interest? Is it realistic?” he said.

Zelenskyy has not commented on Waltz’s remarks but has consistently maintained that Ukraine’s sovereignty is non-negotiable. He insists that Russia must withdraw from all occupied regions, including Crimea, which it annexed in 2014.

Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko has laid out Moscow’s conditions. He said Russia will demand “ironclad” guarantees that Ukraine will never join NATO and must accept neutrality. Moscow also wants Western sanctions lifted and limits imposed on Ukraine’s military.

Peacekeepers in Ukraine?

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday that Britain, France, and other nations were prepared to send peacekeeping troops to Ukraine if a deal is struck. Defence officials will meet this week to discuss the possibility.

However, Moscow has flatly rejected such a move. “If they appear there, it means they are deployed in the conflict zone with all the consequences,” Grushko warned. He did suggest that unarmed civilian observers could be considered instead.

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