Europe and Kyiv propose their own plan for Putin-Trump talks - WSJ

European states and Ukraine responded to Putin's ceasefire plan with a counterproposal they believe should serve as a basis for giving momentum to future negotiations between President Trump and the Russian leader.

According to the media outlet, the European side rejected Russia's offer to trade Ukraine-controlled parts of the Donetsk region for a ceasefire.

The governments of the UK, Germany, and France, as well as Ukraine, decided to respond to the peace proposal that emerged after Putin's meeting with US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in the Kremlin earlier this week.

Following these talks, President Trump missed his own deadline for imposing tough secondary sanctions on Russia and agreed to meet with Putin in Alaska on August 15.

Europe's goal in ending war in Ukraine

Europe's aim is, together with Ukraine, to establish a joint red line that, in the view of European officials, should apply to any potential talks with Russia.

"Ukraine's future cannot be decided without the Ukrainians, who have been fighting for their freedom and security for over three years now. Europeans will also necessarily be part of the solution, as their own security is at stake," French President Emmanuel Macron wrote.

The European proposal includes a demand for a ceasefire before any other steps are taken. It also requires that territorial exchanges can only occur on a reciprocal basis - meaning that if Ukraine withdraws its troops from certain areas, Russia must withdraw from others.

In addition, one European negotiator said that the process couldn't be started by giving up territory in the middle of active fighting.

Importantly, the European plan, which was presented to Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump's Envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg, and Witkoff, also provides that any territorial concessions by Kyiv must be backed by ironclad security guarantees, including potential NATO membership for Ukraine.

The European plan was developed and presented to the US side by top aides to European leaders, also known as sherpas. Vance attended the meeting, while most other US officials joined via video link.

Putin's terms

According to several officials familiar with the proposal Witkoff brought from Moscow, Putin said he would agree to a ceasefire in exchange for Ukraine handing over roughly one-third of the Donetsk region that Kyiv still controls. The front line, at Putin's insistence, should be frozen in other areas, including the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, which Russia currently claims as its own.

Several European officials briefed on Wednesday's meeting with Witkoff noted that Putin did not repeat his earlier, more hardline position - that Ukraine should be demilitarized, its government replaced, and the entirety of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, whose capitals are under Ukrainian control, handed over to Russia.

Some European officials also said that if Ukraine handed over the entire Donetsk region, Russia would have to withdraw its troops from the occupied parts of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions in the south.

Zelenskyy's reaction to Putin’s terms

This unexpected plan shocked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was not invited to the Alaska meeting, as well as European leaders. After a Saturday call with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, he called the plan "a plan to reduce everything to discussing the impossible" and declared that Ukraine will not give its land to anyone.

Any agreement reached by Trump and Putin in Alaska would be of little value without the participation of European leaders, another senior European official said.

At the same time, a senior aide to a European leader, speaking anonymously, said it was "regrettable" that Putin managed to avoid Trump's planned punitive measures, which would have seriously damaged Russia's war economy and ultimately reduced its ability to escalate the invasion of Ukraine.

Putin, however, showed how vulnerable he is to US pressure, and Trump should use his influence, the aide added.

During the meeting with Vance, European officials once again stressed that Ukraine's future cannot be discussed without Ukraine. Regardless of what happens in Washington, Europe will continue to provide Ukraine with weapons and funding, one senior European official said.

Earlier today, French President Emmanuel Macron also stated that Ukraine's future cannot be decided without Ukrainians.

Possible Trump-Putin talks

US President Donald Trump announced last night that he will meet with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin on August 15 in Alaska. The discussions will include the issue of Ukraine.

Just hours earlier, Trump said that a "territory swap" between Ukraine and Russia was possible.

Earlier media reports claimed that during his meeting with Trump's special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Putin said he would agree to a complete ceasefire if Ukraine withdrew its troops from the Donetsk region.

However, according to Bild, Witkoff misunderstood Putin, as the plan also involves Ukraine's withdrawal from the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, something the Trump Envoy interpreted as Russian troop withdrawal.

According to The Wall Street Journal, at the meeting with Trump, Putin may present an ultimatum on Ukraine, particularly recognition of the occupied territories, in exchange for Russia withdrawing troops from other areas.