With US President Donald Trump pushing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for a ceasefire and European nations extending support to Kyiv, Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly cleared his conditions for a possible ceasefire agreement. However, it all will depend on Ukraine whether it accepts the conditions or not. The final terms and conditions would be known only after official negotiations begin between Zelenskyy and Putin.
What Does Putin Want?
According to a Reuters report, Putin wants Ukraine to not just drop its NATO bid but also to withdraw from the eastern Donbas region and not to host Western troops. During a nearly three-hour meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Alaska on Saturday, Russia reportedly laid out fresh demands as part of ongoing talks.
Sources quoted by Reuters said the proposal marks a departure from Moscow’s earlier stance. Back in June 2024, President Vladimir Putin had insisted that Ukraine surrender all four regions claimed by Russia — Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia.
Putin is now said to be prioritizing control over the Donbas region, which covers Donetsk and Luhansk, while freezing the battle lines in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. According to U.S. intelligence estimates, Russian forces currently hold about 88 percent of Donbas and nearly 73 percent of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
The proposal also suggests that Russia could hand back smaller pockets of land it has seized in Kharkiv, Sumy, and Dnipropetrovsk as part of a broader settlement. But territory is not the only issue. Putin is also pressing for firm guarantees that Ukraine will never join NATO, restrictions on Ukraine’s military capabilities, and a commitment to keep Western troops out of the country. In addition, the Kremlin reportedly wants NATO to pledge that it will not push further eastward.
Zelenskyy Unlikely To Agree
Notably, Zelenskyy had already rejected similar demands in the past and is not likely to accept any condition where Ukraine has to cede land to Russia. With Crimea already under Russian control, Zelenskyy has strongly advocated for a full, no-strings-attached ceasefire lasting at least 30 days, calling it a foundational step toward meaningful diplomacy. He demands strong, tangible security guarantees from Western allies—including the U.S. and Europe, possibly modelled after NATO protections. Zelenskyy has also called for the release of all prisoners of war and abducted children as a precondition for advancing ceasefire talks and diplomacy.
