Officials from Ukraine and Europe have dismissed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ceasefire offer in return for Kyiv relinquishing territories to Russia, as reported by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on Saturday, per The Kyiv Independent. Instead, during talks at Chevening House in Kent, they proposed a counteroffer to U.S. representatives.
Worried about being excluded during the meeting between the U.S. and Russian presidents on Friday in Alaska, senior officials from Europe and Ukraine convened near London on Saturday to engage with U.S. officials, seeking to grasp Putin’s stance and ensure that Donald Trump understands the implications, noted The New York Times (NYT).
„You cannot initiate a process by ceding territories while fighting is ongoing,” stated a European negotiator to WSJ.
Two European officials acquainted with the discussions informed WSJ that Europe intends to establish a unified stance alongside Ukraine, insisting on EU participation in any prospective peace talks with Russia and emphasizing that Ukraine’s future cannot be negotiated without Kyiv’s involvement.
The counterproposal delivered to U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who co-hosted the meeting, and U.S. special envoys Keith Kellogg and Steve Witkoff also advocates for a ceasefire ahead of any further measures, while asserting that territorial exchanges must occur on a reciprocal basis, WSJ reported.
As per NYT, Europeans are seeking direct outlines regarding exchanges between Putin and Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, about resolving the Ukraine situation this week.
As Europeans interpret the Russian leader’s proposal, he seeks complete Russian authority over the entire Donbas area of Ukraine, including regions not presently under Moscow’s control. In return, Putin would consent to a ceasefire that would solidify current front lines elsewhere, such as in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, where Russian forces also dominate parts of the land.
Voicing worries over the U.S. willingness to negotiate within Putin’s proposed framework and doubt about the Russian president’s genuine commitment to uphold the ceasefire, a European official remarked to WSJ that the „proposal is much worse than Trump relayed during the call,” while another indicated it grants „Putin everything he desires in exchange for nothing.”
On Wednesday evening, while updating on the dialogue between Putin and Witkoff, Trump outlined the parameters of the Russian leader’s proposal to European officials, including the notion of territorial exchanges, which sparked concern among them.
At that point, the U.S. president did not divulge extensive details regarding Putin’s offer but suggested that the proposed exchange encompasses Russian control over the entirety of the Donbas region, according to two senior European officials.
Ukrainians first seek a ceasefire before agreeing to discuss territorial adjustments. Nevertheless, Ukraine is unwilling to yield territories that are not currently occupied by Russia, as President Zelensky made clear on Saturday, rejecting any permanent loss of Ukrainian sovereignty as defined by international law.
Europeans are apprehensive that Trump and Putin may strike a deal independently and subsequently impose it on Ukraine. They are striving to underscore to the American president that Ukraine must be a participant in the negotiation process and that the era of Yalta, when Americans and Russians partitioned Europe, is far in the past, asserted the two European officials who were present at the UK meeting.
