Trump advocates “let it be cut the way it is” in Donbas. Think tank analyst flags internal clash between “Witkoff’ and Rubio” factions over concessions and arms policy.
From: Kyiv Post
WASHINGTON, DC – US President Donald Trump on Sunday reiterated his call for an immediate ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine along current front lines, demanding that Kyiv effectively cede Russian-occupied territory, including most of the Donbas region, to end the conflict.
Speaking to reporters late Sunday aboard Air Force One, Trump insisted that the topic of the Donbas was not even discussed during his recent conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, reiterating his focus on freezing the conflict.
“No, we never discussed it,” Trump said when asked, citing earlier media reports, if he had talked to Putin about the illegally occupied eastern region.
Trump stated his current solution for an immediate halt to the fighting based on the existing front lines. He insisted the two sides “should just stop at the lines where they are – the battle lines,” adding that negotiating the rest is “very tough.”
When pressed for clarity on the fate of the Donbas, a region whose territories have been a central point of Russia’s war, the US President’s answer was blunt, endorsing a de facto partition as an initial step.
Asked what should happen with the Donbas region, Trump replied: “Let it be cut the way it is. It’s cut up right now. I think 78% of the land is already taken by Russia. You leave it the way it is right now. They can negotiate something later on down the line.”
Voice of Ukraine 