President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are scheduled to meet in Alaska on August 15. This will be their first major meeting since the Ukraine war began in 2022.
Before the talks, President Trump said he will “try” to help Ukraine get back some of the land Russia has taken. Speaking at the White House on Monday, he said, “Russia has occupied a big portion of Ukraine. They took prime territory. We’re going to try to get some of that territory back for Ukraine.”
Trump’s comments follow earlier statements in which he suggested a possible “land swap” deal between Russia and Ukraine. He also mentioned that his next meeting might include both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Putin. “I want to set up a meeting between the two leaders because there will be some land swapping going on,” Trump said, hinting at plans for a ceasefire.
However, Ukraine has made it clear it will not give up any land. President Zelensky has rejected any proposal that requires Ukraine to hand over territory to Russia.
Reports from U.S. officials suggest Putin might agree to end the war if Ukraine surrenders the eastern Donbas region—most of which Russia already controls—and Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014. This plan was reportedly shared with Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, during his visit to Moscow last week.
The Donbas region, which includes Donetsk and Luhansk, is rich in coal, industry, and infrastructure. Russia has sought control of it since 2014. Moscow is also demanding that NATO not expand further, especially by including Ukraine, as part of any ceasefire agreement.
