As Trump floats a ‘swapping of territories'
Since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Russia has seized all of the Luhansk region, much of the Donetsk region, large parts of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions and small parts of the Kharkiv region and northern Sumy region, the launch point for Ukraine's incursion into Russia's Kursk region last year.
Ukraine seized about 1300sq km of Russian territory in the surprise assault, hoping to use it as a bargaining chip in potential peace talks, but now holds just 10sq km there.
Here's what to know about the Ukrainian territory under Russian control.
Luhansk
Russia controls all of Luhansk, one of two oblasts, or regions, that make up the heavily industrialised Donbas area.
After failing to take Kyiv in the early weeks of the invasion, the Kremlin quickly pivoted its forces to Luhansk, which includes the strategic cities of Severodonetsk on the Donets River and Lysychansk, which Russian forces claimed control of in 2022.
Severodonetsk is home to the Azot chemical plant, one of Ukraine's largest manufacturers of nitrogen fertilisers.
The region is also an important producer of metals, including copper and zinc, according to the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War.
Donetsk
The institute estimates that Moscow has seized all but a quarter of the Donetsk region and surrendering it ahead of any ceasefire deal with no commitment from Russia to end the war 'would position Russian forces extremely well to renew their attacks on much more favourable terms'.
A defensive line in the region known as Ukraine's 'fortress belt' has hindered Russia's territorial advances, according to the ISW, and remains a 'significant obstacle to Russia's current path of advance westward'.
Months after launching his invasion, Putin illegally proclaimed the annexation of Donetsk and three other Ukrainian regions - despite not having conquered any of them.
Some occupied parts of Donetsk have recently faced acute water shortages, causing embarrassment amid Moscow's massive propaganda and reconstruction efforts designed to prevent the region's restoration to Ukraine, the Washington Post reported.
Kherson
The southern Kherson region has been a key target for Russia, forming the last component of a 'land bridge' to Crimea that Moscow has long coveted.
In December, the Institute for the Study of War estimated that Russia held 73% of the Kherson region.
In November 2022, Ukrainian forces liberated the city of Kherson after more than eight months of occupation. But Russia has persistently targeted it.
In June 2023, Russia and Ukraine traded blame for the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam, a mammoth Soviet-era structure that had been in Russian hands since the year before and supplied water to much of southern Ukraine.
Russia seized the canal in February 2023 to restore water flows to the Crimean Peninsula - cut off by Ukraine following its occupation in 2014.
Zaporizhzhia
The Zaporizhzhia region is home to Europe's largest nuclear power station, which supplied 20% of Ukraine's electricity before Russia's 2022 invasion.
Russia captured the plant in the town of Enerhodar early on, and both sides have regularly accused each other of carrying out attacks that threaten its safety.
In March, Zelenskyy pushed back on a Trump proposal for the US to take over the facility.
Russia's occupation of the plant deprives Ukraine of the energy it provided, and limited reserves of electricity are used to keep the reactors cool and avoid a nuclear disaster.
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NZ Herald
10 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Russia-Ukraine war: Donald Trump backs Vladimir Putin's demand for Ukraine to cede Donetsk for peace
A source with knowledge of the matter said Putin 'de facto demands that Ukraine leave Donbas', which consists of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in eastern Ukraine. 'Trump is inclined to support it,' the source said. In return, the United States President has offered security guarantees to Ukraine if a peace deal is secured. As with Nato's Article 5 mutual defence clause, such guarantees would mean the US and Ukraine's European allies would be obliged to respond to a future Russian attack. Ukrainian firefighters work to extinguish a blaze after Russian shelling hit a house in the Donetsk region. Photo / Getty Images While the proposed protections stop short of making Ukraine a Nato member, it marks the first time Trump has indicated he would join the so-called Coalition of the Willing, led by Britain, France and Germany. A Republican source close to Trump told the Telegraph: 'The President wants to stop the killing and end the war. That's the bottom line. Negotiations over territory are part of that process. The ball is in Zelenskyy's court.' Sir Keir Starmer and other coalition leaders will meet on Sunday before the Washington summit. European leaders are understood to be concerned that Zelenskyy will reject any offer that involves ceding land and provoke an angry reaction from Trump, with whom he clashed in the Oval Office earlier this year. 'Trump wants this done as soon as possible and I don't think it will take long,' a European official said. It remains likely that Ukraine will reject Putin's terms. Zelenskyy has made clear that he is not willing to discuss ceding Ukrainian territory, and European Governments have said that any decisions surrounding exchanges of land should be made by Kyiv alone. A diplomatic source said: 'Germany, France and the UK are preparing for Monday's talks, including how best to support Zelenskyy and how not to push Trump into a corner.' Another added: 'The worst thing for all will be if the visit causes a public reaction from President Trump that we can't walk back from.' Ukraine's defensive lines in Donetsk have held against recent pressure from Russian forces. Photo / Getty Images Downing St stressed that any agreement that involves land swaps with Russia can be agreed only with Zelenskyy in the room. On Saturday night (local time), Zelenskyy issued a statement about the summit. He said: 'Thank you for the support! All the points mentioned are important to achieve a truly sustainable and reliable peace. 'We see that Russia rebuffs numerous calls for a ceasefire and has not yet determined when it will stop the killing. 'This complicates the situation. If they lack the will to carry out a simple order to stop the strikes, it may take a lot of effort to get Russia to have the will to implement far greater – peaceful co-existence with its neighbours for decades. 'But together, we are working for peace and security. Stopping the killing is a key element of stopping the war. 'Today, co-ordination with partners has been ongoing throughout the day. Tomorrow, calls are also already scheduled. 'We are preparing for Monday's meeting with President Trump and I am grateful for the invitation. 'It is important that everyone agrees there needs to be a conversation at the level of leaders to clarify all the details and determine which steps are necessary and will work. 'We in Ukraine welcome the principled statement of the Nordic-Baltic partners and are grateful for their very significant assistance. The unity of all strengthens each one!' he concluded. It is understood that Britain will not get involved in discussions on the extent to which Ukraine has to give up territory under any peace deal. No 10, however, was upbeat about Trump's agreement to provide security guarantees, hailing it as a significant breakthrough in the process. On Saturday night (local time), UK officials were tight-lipped on whether the country's Prime Minister will join Zelenskyy when he visits the White House on Monday. David Lammy, the UK Foreign Secretary, spent the day calling around European counterparts to brief them before the summit. While Russia holds the majority of Donetsk, Ukraine is still in control of large swathes of the oblast, which makes up its main line of defence in the east. Kyiv set up its main defences, known as the 'fortress belt', around four cities near the region's borders in 2014. Surrendering Donetsk without a fight would give Russia a staging post for future attacks into the regions of Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk in the direction of Kyiv. In exchange for ceding this territory, Putin told Trump that he would be willing to offer his own territorial concessions to Kyiv, but did not elaborate. Moscow previously claimed it annexed the southern regions, with the two oblasts that make up the Donbas region, despite only partially occupying them. It is unlikely to want to relinquish its grip over the southern territories because, alongside Donetsk and Luhansk, they offer Russia a land bridge to Crimea, the peninsula Putin illegally annexed in 2014. Putin has demanded full control of Donbas Current state of occupied territory in Ukraine. Photo / Institute for the Study of War Withdrawing from Kharkiv and Sumy, which have less strategic value to the Kremlin, would therefore be more likely, but may not be seen as a fair swap by Kyiv and its allies. To ease the pain of surrendering territory to Moscow, Trump said the US would be ready to participate in the 'Article 5-style' security guarantee for Kyiv, referring to Nato's mutual defence clause. Lammy described this as a 'concession on security guarantees' by Putin. The move would also strengthen Kyiv's calls to become a fulltime member of the Nato military alliance. Kyiv has long aspired to join Nato, but Russia has given that as one of its reasons for its war in Ukraine and Trump has repeatedly ruled out the idea. Sources said that talk of a Nato-style pact to protect Ukraine from further Russian aggression would send a serious message to the Kremlin. In a statement after the summit, Putin claimed he and Trump had hammered out an 'understanding' on Ukraine and warned Europe not to 'torpedo the nascent progress'. Nato-style protections could see European armour deployed if Putin attempts to take another bite out of Ukraine. Photo / Getty Images On a call with Zelenskyy and European leaders, Trump said he no longer favoured their demands for a ceasefire before any talks over a more substantial peace settlement. The US President indicated that he would attempt to secure a permanent deal first, in a move towards the Russian demands to settle the war in its entirety. The Europeans appeared to back the idea, withdrawing a pre-agreed ceasefire demand from their statements following the Alaska talks. It suggests that Trump and Putin forced the Europeans and Kyiv to drop the demand or risk accusations of blocking peace in the eyes of Washington. But an EU official told the Telegraph: 'Our priority remains a full and unconditional ceasefire, with a strong monitoring system that can attribute violations.' Putin has demanded "protections" for the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine, which was accused of aiding the Russian invasion. Photo / Getty Images Trump's abrupt reversal, aligning himself with a position held by Putin, came in a social media post on Saturday (local time), reportedly taking Kyiv by surprise. The Kremlin has long said it is not interested in a temporary truce and is instead seeking a long-term settlement that takes Russia's interests into account. Putin's tabled demands include 'protections' for the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine and that Russian be reinstated as an official language in Ukraine. He has claimed that military action was taken to protect Russian speakers and culture in Ukraine. Both Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart raised the possibility of a trilateral summit with Putin, but Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said it was not discussed in Alaska. The Kremlin has long maintained that Putin would meet Zelenskyy only in the final stages of peace talks. Kaja Kallas, the European Union foreign policy chief, said: 'President Trump's resolve to get a peace deal is vital. But the harsh reality is that Russia has no intention of ending this war any time soon.'
NZ Herald
12 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Donald Trump gives Vladimir Putin letter from wife Melania Trump pleading for peace at summit
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1News
14 hours ago
- 1News
Summit puts Putin back on global stage as Trump echoes Kremlin position
In Alaska, President Vladimir Putin walked on a red carpet, shook hands and exchanged smiles with his American counterpart. Donald Trump ended the summit praising their relationship and calling Russia "a big power ... No. 2 in the world," albeit admitting they didn't reach a deal on ending the war in Ukraine. By Saturday morning Moscow time, Trump appeared to have abandoned the idea of a ceasefire as a step toward peace — something he and Ukraine had pushed for months -– in favour of pursuing a full-fledged "Peace Agreement" to end the war, echoing a long-held Kremlin position. The "severe consequences" he threatened against Moscow for continuing hostilities were nowhere in sight. On Ukraine's battlefields, Russian troops slowly grinded on, with time on their side. The hastily arranged Alaska summit "produced nothing for Mr. Trump and gave Mr. Putin most of what he was looking for," said Laurie Bristow, a former British ambassador to Russia. ADVERTISEMENT The summit spectacle Putin's visit to Alaska was his first to the United States in 10 years and his first to a Western country since invading Ukraine in 2022 and plunging US-Russia relations to the lowest point since the Cold War. Crippling sanctions followed, along with efforts to shun Russia on the global stage. The International Criminal Court in 2023 issued an arrest warrant for Putin on accusations of war crimes, casting a shadow on his foreign trips and contacts with other world leaders. Trump's return to the White House appeared to upend all that. He warmly greeted Putin, even clapping for him, on a red carpet as US warplanes flew overhead as the world watched. The overflight was both "a show of power" and a gesture of welcome from the US president to the Kremlin leader, "shown off to a friend," said retired Col. Peer de Jong, a former aide to two French presidents and author of Putin, Lord of War." Russian officials and media revelled in the images of the pomp-filled reception Putin received in Alaska, which pro-Kremlin tabloid Komsomolskaya Pravda described as signalling "utmost respect." It called the meeting a 'huge diplomatic victory' for Putin, whose forces will have time to make more territorial gains. ADVERTISEMENT The reception contrasted starkly with President Volodymyr Zelensky's March visit to the Oval Office, where Trump treated him like a "representative of a rogue state," said Roderich Kiesewetter, a member of the German parliament. Putin has "broken out of international isolation," returning to the world stage as one of two global leaders and "wasn't in the least challenged" by Trump, who ignored the arrest warrant for Putin from the ICC, Bristow told The Associated Press. Russian President Vladimir Putin stands on the steps of the plane prior to departure at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025, after meeting with US President Donald Trump. (Source: Associated Press) For Putin, 'mission accomplished' Putin "came to the Alaska summit with the principal goal of stalling any pressure on Russia to end the war," said Neil Melvin, director of international security at the London-based Royal United Services Institute. "He will consider the summit outcome as mission accomplished." In recent months, Trump has pressed for a ceasefire, something Ukraine and its allies supported and insisted was a prerequisite for any peace talks. ADVERTISEMENT The Kremlin has pushed back, however, arguing it's not interested in a temporary truce -– only in a long-term peace agreement. Moscow's official demands for peace so far have remained nonstarter for Kyiv: It wants Ukraine to cede four regions that Russia only partially occupies, along with the Crimean Peninsula, illegally annexed in 2014. Ukraine also must renounce its bid to join NATO and shrink its military, the Kremlin says. After Alaska, Trump appeared to echo the Kremlin's position on a ceasefire, posting on social media that after he spoke to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders, "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." In a statement after the Trump call, the European leaders did not address whether a peace deal was preferable to a ceasefire. The summit took place a week after a deadline Trump gave the Kremlin to stop the war or face additional sanctions on its exports of oil in the form of secondary tariffs on countries buying it. Trump already imposed those tariffs on India, and if applied to others, Russian revenues "would probably be impacted very badly and very quickly," said Chris Weafer, CEO of Macro-Advisory Ltd. consultancy. ADVERTISEMENT In the days before Alaska, Trump also threatened unspecified "very severe consequences" if Putin does not agree to stop the war. But whether those consequences will materialise remains unclear. Asked about that in a post-summit interview with Fox News Channel, Trump said he doesn't need "to think about that right now," and suggested he might revisit the idea in "two weeks or three weeks or something." Russia's President Vladimir Putin speaks during a news conference at Joint Base Elmendorf- Richardson, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025, in Anchorage, Alaska (Source: Associated Press) More pressure on Ukraine In a statement after the summit, Putin claimed the two leaders had hammered out an "understanding" on Ukraine and warned Europe not to "torpedo the nascent progress." But Trump said "there's no deal until there's a deal." ADVERTISEMENT In his Fox interview, Trump insisted the onus going forward might be on Zelensky "to get it done," but said there would also be some involvement from European nations. Zelensky will meet Trump at the White House on Monday. Both raised the possibility of a trilateral summit with Putin, but Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said it wasn't discussed in Alaska. The Kremlin has long maintained that Putin would only meet Zelensky in the final stages of peace talks. "Trump now appears to be shifting responsibility towards Kyiv and Europe, while still keeping a role for himself," Tatiana Stanovaya of the Carnegie Russia and Eurasia Centre wrote on X. Fiona Hill, a senior adviser on Russia to Trump during his first administration, told AP that he has met his match because "Putin is a much bigger bully." Trump wants to be the negotiator of "a big real estate deal between Russia and Ukraine," she said, but in his mind he can "apply real pressure" only to one side — Kyiv. Hill said she expects Trump to tell Zelensky that "you're really going to have to make a deal" with Putin because Trump wants the conflict off his plate and is not prepared to put pressure on the Russian president. ADVERTISEMENT Far from the summit venue and its backdrop saying "Pursuing Peace," Russia continued to bombard Ukraine and make incremental advances on the over 1,000-kilometre front. Russia fired a ballistic missile and 85 drones overnight. Ukraine shot down or intercepted 61 drones, its air force said. Front-line areas of Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk and Chernihiv were attacked. Russia's Defence Ministry said it had taken control of the village of Kolodyazi in the Donetsk region, along with Vorone in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Ukraine did not comment on the claims. Russian forces are closing in on the strongholds of Pokrovsk and Kostiantynivka in the Donetsk region, which Moscow illegally annexed in 2022 but still only partially controls. "Unless Mr. Putin is absolutely convinced that he cannot win militarily, the fighting is not going to stop," said Bristow, the former ambassador. ADVERTISEMENT "That's the big takeaway from the Anchorage summit."
