Russians table peace proposal on Donetsk Oblast, says Trump's envoy Witkoff
Russia has put its "peace proposal" on the table concerning Donetsk Oblast in the context of ending its war against Ukraine, Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump’s Special Envoy for the Middle East, has said.
Source: Witkoff in a Fox News interview, responding to a journalist’s question about who bears greater responsibility for prolonging the war – Russia or Ukraine
Quote: "We've got two tough sides here. You heard the President [Trump – ed.] say that he is disappointed in Russia in some respects, and he is also disappointed in the Ukrainians in some respects. But I would point this out to you: no one has done more ... than this president in narrowing the issues between these two countries and bringing the sides close to a deal. The Russians have put a peace proposal on the table. It involves Donetsk [Americans more often mean the entire oblast rather than the city by this word – ed.]. It may not be something that the Ukrainians can take."
Details: Witkoff did not specify what exactly this Russian proposal envisages or when it was submitted, and only repeated that "no one has ever made that kind of progress here" as Trump.
Witkoff also announced that he will meet with a Ukrainian delegation in New York this week.
Background:
- After the Alaska talks, Trump said he had reached an agreement with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin on a territory exchange and that "President Zelenskyy has to agree".
- Trump is reported to have told Ukraine and European leaders that Putin wants to immediately discuss the terms of ending the war, not just a pause in hostilities. Trump believes this would be for the best.
- According to Bloomberg, Trump informed European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Putin is still demanding that Ukrainian troops withdraw from the entire territory of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, but is prepared to freeze the front in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts. Zelenskyy has rejected this demand.
- On 17 August, Reuters released an outline of Russia’s conditions for ending the war that Putin presented to Trump during their meeting in Alaska.
- Trump said Washington would launch an "economic war" against Russia if it avoids negotiations on ending its war against Ukraine.
- Trump also said that Washington is continuing to supply weapons to NATO allies that are currently providing military assistance to Ukraine.
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