Report Reveals Trump's Plan: Ukrainian Concessions and Recognition of Russia's Annexation of Donbas and Crimea

SadaNews Translation - A U.S. official with direct knowledge told Axios that Trump's new plan to end the war in Ukraine would grant Russia parts of eastern Ukraine that it currently does not control, in exchange for U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine and Europe against future Russian aggression.

The report adds, as SadaNews translated: "Ukraine and its supporters will consider this a huge concession to Russia. According to the U.S. official, the White House believes that Ukraine is likely to lose its territory if the war continues, and 'therefore it is in Ukraine's interest to reach an agreement now'.

The two most contentious issues in the Ukrainian talks so far have been who will control any area after the war concludes, and how Ukraine can ensure that Russia does not simply resume the war later.

Trump's 28-point plan calls for Russia to gain full effective control over Luhansk and Donetsk (collectively referred to as Donbas), although Ukraine still controls approximately 14.5% of the land there, according to the latest analysis by the Institute for the Study of War, as translated by SadaNews.

Although under Russian control, the areas in Donbas from which Ukraine would withdraw will be considered a demilitarized zone, where Russia will not be able to deploy forces.

In two other war-torn regions, Kherson and Zaporizhia, the current lines of control will largely remain frozen in place, with Russia returning some lands, subject to negotiations.

Axios's report continues: "According to Trump's plan, the U.S. and other countries will recognize the Crimea Peninsula and the Donbas region as legitimate Russian territories, but Ukraine will not be required to do so".

According to a Ukrainian official, the plan also included restrictions on the size of the Ukrainian army and its long-range weapons in exchange for U.S. security guarantees.

The Ukrainian official also confirmed that the U.S. plan includes Ukrainian territorial concessions in Donbas.

It is unclear what U.S. security guarantees might entail beyond the promise to defend against further Russian aggression.

Axios stated in its report: "According to two sources with direct knowledge, Qatar and Turkey are involved in drafting Trump's new plan and supporting U.S. mediation efforts".

One source said, "Qatari and Turkish mediation helped end the war in Gaza, and it could help end the war in Ukraine".

Sources said that a senior Qatari official participated in talks between Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's National Security Advisor Rustam Umerov over the past weekend.

A source informed Axios that Umerov was authorized by Zelensky to negotiate with Witkoff, and many of his comments were incorporated into the 28-point plan text.

The source confirmed that several understandings were reached during the talks with Umerov.

A Ukrainian official confirmed that Zelensky sent Umerov to receive a briefing on the U.S. plan. However, he said it was an oral briefing and Umerov did not receive a written proposal from Witkoff.

The Ukrainian official denied that Zelensky's advisor accepted the plan's terms during the meeting, claiming that Ukraine objects to many points.

Before meeting with Umerov, Witkoff had extensive discussions about the plan with Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev.

The Financial Times was the first to publish details of Trump's plan.

In support of Turkey's initiative for Trump's peace, Witkoff was scheduled to visit Ankara on Wednesday and hold a trilateral meeting with Zelensky and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, according to a U.S. official.

The U.S. official claimed that the meeting was postponed when it became clear that Zelensky was backing away from the understandings reached with Umerov and was unwilling to discuss Trump's plan. The U.S. official added that Zelensky traveled to Ankara carrying another plan drafted with European partners, which Russia would never accept.

A Ukrainian official stated that the meeting was postponed because Zelensky requested to discuss the plan in a broader format, including European countries.

A second U.S. official said that the internal political scandal in Ukraine concerning investigations into corruption cases against some of Zelensky’s closest advisors was another reason for the meeting's postponement.

The official stated that Trump allowed Witkoff to attempt to reach an agreement with Zelensky in Turkey and supported the decision to cancel the meeting with the Ukrainian president.

The U.S. official said: "We will wait now. The ball is in Zelensky's court". He stated that Zelensky could come to Washington to discuss the new U.S. plan if he wished.