President Donald Trump has shifted his position on the war in Ukraine following his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. Instead of pushing for a lasting ceasefire as he previously demanded, Trump is now urging Ukraine to strike a peace deal with Russia, even if it means ceding parts of its territory.
During the discussions, Putin reportedly suggested freezing most of the current battle lines if Ukraine agreed to surrender the entire Donetsk region. Trump backed the proposal, telling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to “make a deal,” arguing that Russia’s power outweighed Ukraine’s ability to resist indefinitely.
Zelenskiy swiftly rejected the proposal, maintaining that Ukraine would not accept territorial concessions. He is set to travel to Washington for talks with Trump on Monday, where the issue is expected to dominate discussions.
The shift marks a major change in U.S. policy under Trump, moving away from a ceasefire-first approach to a settlement-driven path. European allies, however, have reaffirmed their support for Ukraine, pledging to continue pressuring Russia and insisting that Kyiv must be given strong security guarantees and a decisive voice in any peace negotiations.
