Trump pushes Ukraine to cede territory as part of peace deal, drops ceasefire demand

Washington [US], August 18 (ANI): US President Donald Trump has abandoned his earlier demand for Russian President Vladimir Putin to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine and appears prepared to push Kyiv to cede territory to Moscow as part of a broader peace deal that would include US security guarantees, The Hill reported.
Trump's shift comes after a meeting with Putin in Alaska, during which the President claimed progress toward a peace deal but provided no specifics, The Hill added. He is scheduled to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders at the White House on Monday.
Before the Alaska summit, Trump had stated he would be angry if Putin did not agree to a ceasefire. European leaders who spoke to Trump prior to the summit said he had agreed not to negotiate territorial concessions with Moscow. However, The Hill reported that the President has since changed his stance on both fronts.
After a call with Zelensky and European leaders on Saturday, Trump stated in a social media post that "it was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up," The Hill reported.
There is no indication that Ukrainian or European officials have agreed to this approach, which would contravene one of the five principles Ukraine and Europe established prior to talks, requiring a ceasefire before formal peace negotiations. Zelensky said Monday's meeting would allow all sides "to discuss all of the details regarding ending the killing and the war."
Signs indicate Moscow may be willing to moderate some of its demands. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told ZDF television that Trump indicated Russia is prepared to negotiate based on the current "line of contact," rather than the administrative boundary around four regions it illegally annexed early in the conflict, The Hill reported.
Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff also told CNN's "State of the Union" that Putin had agreed to "robust" security guarantees for Ukraine, which he described as a "game changer" in the negotiations. "Everything is going to be about what the Ukrainians can live with, but assuming they could, we were able to win the following concession: that the United States could offer Article Five-like protection, which is one of the real reasons why Ukraine wants to be in NATO," Witkoff said, The Hill added.
Article 5 of the NATO charter states that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all, effectively ensuring U.S. military intervention to protect allies. Russia has set a red line on Ukraine joining NATO, while Kyiv has insisted on U.S. security guarantees as part of any peace deal. Putin has also reportedly offered a written promise not to invade the rest of Ukraine or neighboring countries in the future.
The major point of contention remains the so-called "land swaps," with all land in question belonging to Ukraine. Zelensky has said that Ukraine's constitution bars him from ceding territory, warning that a retreat from the Donbas region could open the door for further Russian advances. "We will never leave the Donbas," he told reporters Tuesday.
European Union top diplomat Kaja Kallas sought to temper expectations of an imminent peace deal. She stated that while Trump's determination to secure a peace deal is "vital," Russia has no intention of ending the war soon. "The U.S. holds the power to force Russia to negotiate serious," she said, adding that Moscow would not end the war until it recognizes it cannot continue.
The Hill reported that Trump had shown frustration with Putin in the months leading up to the Alaska summit but has not emphasized threats of crippling sanctions against Moscow since the meeting. Earlier this month, Trump announced new sanctions on India over its purchase of Russian oil, which are set to take effect in the coming weeks.
While some Republicans expressed optimism that Trump's mediation could bring Russia and Ukraine closer to peace, some Democrats criticized the President for appearing to give Putin concessions without securing anything in return. "It was a failure," Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said on NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday.
"Trump said, if I don't get a ceasefire, Putin is going to pay a price. And then he walked out of that meeting saying, I didn't get a cease fire, I didn't get a peace deal, and I'm not even considering sanctions," Murphy added.
"Putin walks away from this photo op with zero commitments made and zero consequences. What a great day for Russia," he said, The Hill reported. (ANI)