Trump’s Bold Ukraine Peace Proposal: 5,000 sq km to Russia? Leaked Details Unveiled | PRIMENEWSNOW

Since the 2022 invasion, Russia has taken control of approximately 116,000 square kilometers of Ukrainian land, which constitutes about 19% of the nation. Recent developments suggest that this area could expand by an additional 5,000 square kilometers if a peace agreement, reportedly facilitated by former US President Donald Trump, comes to fruition.

Steve Witkoff, representing Trump, recently engaged in discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Although the US draft peace plan has been leaked, European nations have proposed alternatives. Ongoing negotiations in Geneva and Florida have yet to reveal further details.

Russia claims Crimea, annexed in 2014, and the Donetsk and Luhansk regions as part of its territory, along with Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. However, these annexations are widely deemed illegal by the United Nations and much of the global community. Russia also holds parts of Kharkiv, Sumy, Mykolaiv, and Dnipropetrovsk, though it hasn’t fully captured the Donbas region.

According to the initial US proposals, Ukraine might need to withdraw from fortified areas in Donbas, creating a demilitarized buffer zone recognized as Russian territory. This includes around 5,000 square kilometers. The plan also suggests recognizing Crimea, Luhansk, and Donetsk as Russian territories, with similar recognition for Russian advances in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.

European allies of Ukraine viewed the US draft as favoring Russia. Subsequent discussions have refined the framework, with President Zelensky acknowledging the possibility of recognizing some Russian-occupied areas as “de facto” Russian, though he opposes formal recognition. He urges Western allies not to reward Russia’s aggression.

A key demand from Putin is halting NATO’s eastward expansion, effectively barring Ukraine from joining. The US draft includes provisions to prevent Ukraine’s NATO membership, but European proposals suggest that membership should depend on NATO consensus. Trump advocates for a permanent block, citing past US support for Ukraine’s NATO aspirations as a catalyst for the conflict.