Macron praises Australia's move to recognise Palestinian state
This would mean freezing the front line where it is and handing Russia de facto control of the territory it occupies in Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson and Crimea. The softening of the negotiating position comes ahead of talks between Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday.
'The plan can only be related to the current positions held by the militaries,' a Western official said, characterising a frantic weekend of diplomacy between Kyiv and its allies.
Ukraine and Europe have become increasingly concerned that Trump and Putin could negotiate an end to the long-running war over Zelensky's head.
Chief among European concerns was a purported peace plan endorsed by Moscow, which included freezing the front lines in south-eastern Ukraine if Kyiv agreed to withdraw from areas of Donetsk and Luhansk that it controls.
European leaders are expected to hold talks with Trump on Wednesday to make their case to him. On Monday (Tuesday AEST), the US president said he would try to get some territory back for Ukraine during his meeting with Putin in Alaska.
There would be 'some swapping, some changes to land', Trump said, adding: 'Russia has occupied a big portion of Ukraine. We're going to try to get some of that territory back for Ukraine.'
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