Trump sparks horror fears for Ukraine ahead of Zelensky summit as Putin demands land grab

President Volodymyr Zelensky is preparing for an important visit to the White House, where he’ll discuss the outcome of recent peace talks with Russia. But his trip comes with added pressure after Vladimir Putin reportedly laid out a major condition: Russia wants Ukraine to give up the Donbas region in exchange for peace.

During last week’s summit in Anchorage, Alaska, Putin met with Donald Trump and suggested that Russia would be willing to freeze its advances in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia if Ukraine withdrew from its positions in Donbas. He also hinted that Ukrainian defenses in Donetsk were close to collapse. Zelensky quickly rejected that claim, telling Trump the front lines remain stable.

The summit had been expected to produce progress toward a peace agreement, but after three hours of talks, no concrete deal emerged. Both Russia and the U.S. described the discussions as “positive,” but neither side revealed which points were agreed upon.

Back in Kyiv, many Ukrainians were frustrated that such high-stakes negotiations took place without Zelensky at the table. Reactions were even sharper after it was revealed that Putin received a warm reception and later invited Trump to Moscow for more talks.

Before the summit, Trump had drawn a hard line, warning that Russia would face severe oil sanctions unless it agreed to a ceasefire. Yet after the meeting, he softened his stance and emphasized the need for a full peace deal rather than just a ceasefire. In his words: “The best way to end the horrific war is through a Peace Agreement, not just a Ceasefire Agreement, which often does not hold up.”

Trump’s approach found support from some European leaders. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer even praised him for “bringing us closer than ever before to ending Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine.” Still, questions remain about whether Zelensky or European allies would accept a compromise that forces Ukraine to give up territory.

There is talk of European leaders traveling to Washington to stand with Zelensky, partly to ensure that Ukraine’s security is guaranteed even if concessions are made. One idea floated by Trump was a security arrangement similar to NATO’s Article 5, but without formal NATO membership for Ukraine.

For now, the central question is how far Zelensky is willing to go. Putin has made his demands clear, but Ukraine has shown little sign of giving in. As Trump put it after the summit, Zelensky has “got to make a deal.” Whether that deal involves the Donbas or not could define the future of the war.