Ukraine-Russia war latest: Putin offers to halt invasion with Trump ‘letting him keep land seized so far’ – UK Times

The US wants a response in London today on a peace framework that includes unofficial recognition of Russian control of nearly all areas it has occupied since the start of the war in Ukraine, Axios reported on Tuesday, citing sources with direct knowledge of the proposal.

Under the proposal, which was first presented to Ukraine last week, the US would lift sanctions imposed on Russia since 2014 and would return a small part of Russian-occupied Kharkiv to Ukraine.

It added that the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant would be considered as Ukrainian territory but operated by the US, with electricity supplied to both Ukraine and Russia.

Donald Trump wanted nothing to do with Ukraine during his first stint as US president from 2017 until 2021, his former adviser has said.

“Right from the very beginning, president Trump wanted nothing to do with Ukraine,” Fiona Hill, who advised on European and Russian Affairs during Mr Trump’s first stint, said.

“In his first phone call with [former German chancellor] Angela Merkel, she most famously asked him, ‘Donald, what are you going to do about Ukraine?’” Ms Hill said.

“[Trump] said, ‘No, Angela, it’s got nothing to do with me, what are you going to do about Ukraine?’

“And he’s been very consistent with his idea of trying to distance himself from the war in Ukraine, and frankly equally consistent in his desire to reset the Russian relationship with the US.”