Trump to Let Ukraine Cede Donbas: Historic Shift in Peace Negotiations

Trump and Putin: Summit in Alaska

At a high-profile meeting in Anchorage, Alaska, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin discussed a potential breakthrough in the ongoing war. According to leaked information from a subsequent conversation with European leaders, Trump is ready to support a deal in which Ukraine would hand over the Donbas region to Russia in exchange for rapid peace.

Putin demanded that Ukraine officially withdraw from both Donetsk and Luhansk. In return, Russia would freeze the southern front, where fierce fighting continues in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.

European Opposition: “Borders Must Not Be Changed by Force”

The proposal has stirred unease across Europe. Leading heads of state and government—including Ursula von der Leyen, Emmanuel Macron, and Keir Starmer—issued a joint statement:
“It will be up to Ukraine to decide over its own territory. International borders must not be changed by force.”

This clear rejection demonstrates how divided the alliance stands. While Trump focuses on a swift peace, the EU fears Ukraine will be pushed into a weak negotiating position.

Zelensky: “Peace Without a Ceasefire Is an Illusion”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky insists that any agreement must ensure a lasting solution. He declared on Saturday:
“Real peace must be more than a pause between Russian invasions. The killings must stop, captives released, and our children brought home.”

He later emphasized that Trump’s idea of bypassing a ceasefire “complicates the situation.”

A Shift in the Geopolitical Equator

Donbas is not just symbolically important. The region is rich in coal and iron ore and thus holds major economic significance. Trump’s willingness to allow Russia to take over the area could mark a new geopolitical equator: a dividing line in international politics, where the balance of power between East and West shifts dramatically.

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