It’s official: Vladimir Putin, the head honcho of the Kremlin, isn’t considering giving up the regions of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson that Russia currently controls. There’s a hefty catch for Ukraine – the complete withdrawal of their forces from Donbas, but no land back in return.
Source:The Washington Post
What’s the deal? Insider info from ongoing talks suggests Russia’s negotiators have put forward an idea that Ukraine should give up Donbas, which covers not just Luhansk but Donetsk as well – all in the hopes of grabbing a ceasefire but with no genuine trade-off for those eastern regions.
As per sources, the Kremlin isn’t keen on returning territories in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia either. These regions have become crucial for Moscow as they link to occupied Crimea, enhancing Russia’s hold over that area.
A former high-ranking Kremlin insider revealed that while Russia seems to be indicating some readiness to compromise, they might find it more politically viable to keep up the fighting until Ukraine can no longer resist.
Insights from the ex-official: “For the Kremlin, it’s easier to extend the conflict than to strike a peaceful deal, thus they’re insisting on a temporary truce rather than a permanent one, all while considering the timing of potential [Ukrainian] elections.”
Context:
Previously, US President Donald Trump disclosed plans to meet with Putin in Alaska on August 15.
Trump hinted that any prospect of a peace deal could involve “some swapping of territories.”
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded emphatically that “Ukrainians won’t just hand over their land to the occupier.”
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