Putin seeks full control of Donetsk Oblast as key to any deal with Ukraine, WP reports
Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded that Ukraine hand over full control of Donetsk Oblast to Russia as a condition for ending the war during a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump this week, The Washington Post reported on Oct. 18, citing two senior U.S. officials.
According to the report, Putin indicated he was willing to give up parts of the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, both partially occupied by Russian forces, in exchange for complete control over Donetsk.
Some White House officials described the proposal as “progress,” while a senior European diplomat cautioned that Ukraine would likely view the proposal in a very different light.
“It’s like selling them their own leg in exchange for nothing,” the diplomat said.
Trump has not publicly addressed the Kremlin’s demand but, following his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, urged both sides to “stop the killing and make a deal.”
This development marks a shift from Putin’s earlier position in April, when he rejected a U.S. proposal to freeze hostilities along current front lines and instead insisted that any peace deal must grant Russia full control over Crimea plus the full four regions that are partially occupied now: Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson.
Putin and Trump are expected to continue discussions at a planned summit in Hungary, which is set to take place in the coming weeks.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Oct. 17 that he had spoken with Rubio and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, adding that preparations for the U.S.—Russia summit are ongoing.
