Trump's bold peace push: Demands Putin to grant Ukraine autonomy
The US is set to demand from Vladimir Putin the recognition of Ukraine's right to maintain its own army and defence industry, reports Bloomberg. Donald Trump is anticipated to insist that Moscow return the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant to Ukraine and provide access to the Dnieper River, as well as the return of territories occupied by Russia in the Kharkiv region.
According to the agency, US special envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to discuss this matter during the next meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Moscow's agreement for Ukraine to have a properly equipped and sizeable army — a demand from both Kyiv and European allies — would mean that Putin would have to abandon one of the main goals of this war, which was the demilitarisation of Ukraine.
"It’s a sign that the Trump administration is seeking some concessions from the Kremlin, as well as Ukraine, as it tries to end a war that’s now into its fourth year. Critics have thus far viewed the US proposals as tilted toward Russia, including the Trump administration’s insistence that Ukraine give up its aspirations to join the NATO military alliance," Bloomberg comments.
The Trump administration is also demanding that Moscow return the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, which the Russians seized at the beginning of the full-scale invasion in 2022. This facility would then be placed under American control and utilised to supply both sides of the conflict, sources suggest. They add that the details of these plans have not yet been finalised and may change.
Spokespersons for the US National Security Council, the State Department, or Witkoff himself have not yet commented.
The United States also wants to guarantee Ukraine access to the Dnieper River and the return of territories occupied by Russia in the Kharkiv region. Meanwhile, Putin demands that Kyiv recognise the entire area of the Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Kherson regions, despite Russia not having full control over them.
