Trump Calls Russia “A Very Big Power,” Conveys Putin’s Donetsk Demand to Zelenskyy—Ukrainian President Rejects Proposal

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has firmly rejected a proposal reportedly conveyed by US President Donald Trump on behalf of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Which would have required Kyiv to cede full control of the Donetsk region in exchange for a halt to fighting along current front-line positions. The proposal was discussed during a private briefing following Trump’s three-hour meeting with Putin in Alaska on Friday—the first direct engagement between Washington and Moscow since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Trump described Russia as “a very big power” and suggested Ukraine should move toward a peace agreement without the prerequisite of a ceasefire, a condition previously insisted upon by Ukraine and its European allies.

Reuters reported that Zelenskyy rejected the offer. Russia currently controls around 20% of Ukrainian territory, including nearly three-quarters of Donetsk, which it first entered in 2014. Trump later posted on Truth Social, emphasizing that all parties agreed the “best way to end the horrific war” would be through a direct peace agreement rather than a temporary ceasefire.

Zelenskyy has reiterated that ceding territory would require constitutional amendments and highlighted key defensive hubs in Donetsk, such as Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, which continue to prevent deeper Russian advances. He also called for binding security guarantees to protect Ukraine from future aggression.

Kyiv is scheduled to meet Trump in Washington on Monday, with European leaders expected to join. European governments have cautiously welcomed the dialogue while reaffirming support for Ukraine and signalling the potential for tougher sanctions on Moscow, stressing that any settlement must respect Ukraine’s sovereignty.