Maps Reveal Ukraine Regions at Center of Putin’s Demands in Ongoing War

US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Alaska last week for a high-stakes summit focused on ending Russia’s war in Ukraine. Central to the talks is the question of territory, with Russia currently occupying nearly one-fifth of Ukraine. Trump has floated the idea of a ceasefire that might involve “swapping territories,” but Kyiv has firmly rejected any deal that would cede land, and Moscow has also denied interest in such an arrangement.

Reports suggest one proposal presented in Moscow to US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff involved Ukraine relinquishing the remainder of Donetsk and Luhansk, collectively known as the Donbas. However, front lines remain volatile, as seen when Russian forces broke through Ukrainian defenses near Dobropilia earlier this month before Kyiv claimed to have stabilized the situation.

The practicality of such a territorial handover appears impossible. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would face immense backlash for ordering evacuations of tens of thousands of civilians and troops. Meanwhile, Moscow holds only limited and militarily insignificant “buffer zones” near Sumy and Kharkiv, offering little of real value in return.

Russia continues to occupy most of Donetsk and nearly all of Luhansk, as well as parts of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. The Kremlin has formally added these regions to its constitution, reflecting its long-standing aim to claim them permanently. Ceding major cities such as Zaporizhzhia remains a nonstarter for Ukraine, which warns that any territory lost would simply serve as a platform for future Russian offensives, as happened with Crimea after its annexation in 2014.

European allies, once adamant about rejecting Russian control of occupied lands, have quietly shifted tone since Trump returned to the White House. Some now suggest freezing current front lines as a starting point for negotiations, though Kyiv remains wary. For Russia, the strategy appears to be buying time, continuing its offensives while stretching out diplomatic discussions.

Ukraine had hoped Trump would impose secondary sanctions on Moscow’s key energy partners, India and China, if no ceasefire emerged quickly. Instead, Trump agreed to pursue a broader peace deal, a process that could extend for months or years while Russian forces continue their campaign.

Credit: CNN Newsource

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