Putin Proposes Ceasefire Offering Donbas Region in Exchange During Moscow Meeting

TDT | Manama

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

During a meeting in Moscow last Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin presented a detailed proposal to end the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, according to European and Ukrainian officials. The discussion took place between Putin and US envoy Steve Witkoff.

Putin proposed handing over control of the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas to Russia in return for a comprehensive ceasefire. This marks a slight retreat from Russia’s earlier demands, which called for control over all territories along the front line between the two countries — a larger area extending beyond Donbas, reports the Wall Street Journal.

Officials familiar with the talks revealed that Putin indicated willingness to agree to a ceasefire if Ukraine withdrew its forces from the entire eastern Donetsk region. Under the proposal, Russia would maintain control of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as well as Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014 and insists be recognized as sovereign Russian territory.

Currently, Russian forces occupy most of Donetsk and Luhansk, but Ukrainian troops continue to hold significant parts of these regions, including key cities that serve as strongholds in their defense efforts.

The proposal represents a significant development in the conflict, though it remains unclear how Ukraine and its allies will respond.