【By Chen Sijia, Observer Net】On October 16 local time, US President Trump had a phone call with Russian President Putin. According to a report by the Washington Post on the 19th, two senior officials revealed that Putin insisted that Ukraine completely give up control over the Donetsk region, listing it as one of the conditions for ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict during the call.

These two officials said that compared to the conditions proposed by Putin at the August Anchorage summit, the territorial claims made in this call were slightly smaller, and Putin was willing to give up part of the territory controlled by Russian forces in the Zaporozhzhya and Kherson regions in southern Ukraine, in exchange for full control over Donetsk. One official said that some White House officials viewed this as "progress" in the dialogue.

Another European senior official believed that Ukraine was unlikely to accept this demand, saying, "It's like asking them to sell a leg for air."

Trump and Putin met in Anchorage, Alaska, in August. The Washington Post cited sources who said that at that time, Trump told Ukrainian and European leaders that Putin required Ukraine to give up the Donbas region (Luhansk and Donetsk) and other territories under Russian control, in exchange for which Putin "was ready to commit" to ending the conflict.

Regarding the details of the call disclosed by the Washington Post, the White House and Kremlin have not yet responded.

August 15, Anchorage, Alaska, USA, Trump and Putin met IC photo

Previously, Russian President's assistant Ushakov explained the content of the call between Russian and American leaders on the 16th, stating that the call was initiated by Russia, lasting 2.5 hours. Ushakov said that Trump repeatedly emphasized the need to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict as soon as possible. Putin reiterated that the Tomahawk missiles would not change the battlefield situation, but they caused great harm to the relations between Russia and the United States and the prospects for peaceful resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Ushakov said that in this call, Trump proposed meeting with Putin again in Budapest, Hungary, and Putin immediately expressed support. Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov and US Secretary of State Rubio will discuss the preparation issues, and both sides will communicate and meet.

After ending the call with Putin, Trump met with Ukrainian President Zelensky at the White House on the 17th. Ukraine hopes that the United States can provide "Tomahawk" missiles, but Trump clearly stated that the US will not currently provide the long-range missiles that Ukraine seeks, which can penetrate deep into Russian territory. He pointed out that providing "Tomahawk" missiles to Ukraine could lead to further escalation of the situation.

After the meeting, Trump flew to West Palm Beach, Florida, where he told reporters upon arrival, "I think they (Russia and Ukraine) should stop the conflict immediately. It should be based on the current front line, wherever it is now. Otherwise, things are too complicated, you'll never solve them. You must stop before the front line."

He also posted on social media, "It's time to stop the killing and reach an agreement! Blood has flowed enough, the borders are determined by war and courage. They should stop right here. Let both sides declare victory, and let history make the judgment!"

However, according to the Washington Post, citing information from senior officials, Trump's special envoy for Middle East issues, Witkowsky, pressured the Ukrainian delegation on the 17th to hand over Donetsk. He pointed out that most residents of Donetsk speak Russian. Some Ukrainian and European officials believe that such statements amount to supporting Russia's demands.

The report stated that Ukraine supports Trump's call, achieving a ceasefire on the current front line to pave the way for a more lasting solution. Officials privately said that they accept that Russia may retain actual control over the occupied territories, and they are seeking "strong security guarantees" from the United States and Europe to prevent Russia from restarting attacks.

The Russia-Ukraine conflict, which has lasted more than three and a half years, has been stuck in a stalemate, with Russia currently controlling about 20% of Ukraine's territory. Previously, the Chief of the Russian Armed Forces General Staff, Gerasimov, stated that in eastern Ukraine, the Russian military has controlled 99.7% of the territory of Luhansk, 79% of Donetsk, 74% of Zaporozhzhya, and 76% of Kherson.

Zelensky, after meeting with Trump, admitted that the most difficult issue in the negotiations was the territorial issue. "Our position is that we first need a ceasefire, we need to sit down and talk, figure out the situation. I think this is the most important first step," Zelensky said, "I think the president (Trump) understands that in any negotiation, the territorial issue will be the most difficult one."

Regarding the Russia-Ukraine negotiations, the Russian President's press secretary, Peskov, said on the 17th that Russia is open to resolving the issue peacefully, "President Putin discussed this with US President Trump during their call."

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Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7562947762958959144/

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