Donald Trump has accepted Russian demands for the United States to recognise Ukraine’s eastern provinces as belonging to the Kremlin, it was reported on Friday night.
In return, Russia will finally agree to a ceasefire and further negotiations to ensure a lasting peace after almost four years of devastating conflict.
President Trump’s position is a huge blow to Ukraine and to the country’s European allies, including Britain. Speaking to the Mail, former British Army commander Hamish de Bretton-Gordon accused Trump of ‘peddling Russian lines’.
He said: ‘This is a complete affront to Ukraine. Yet again President Trump only seems interested in the Russian position.
‘He conveniently forgets, time and again, that it was Russia who invaded Ukraine and it is Putin that is an indicted war criminal.
‘It might be better now for Trump and his commercial deal makers to go back to their day jobs and let us in Europe get a peace deal.’
Previously, the White House has been forced to back down after adopting pro-Russian positions in the face of furious criticism.
President Trump’s peace envoy Steve Witkoff, US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and Mr Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner are travelling to Moscow for talks about ending the conflict. Afterwards Mr Driscoll is expected to visit Kyiv.
On Friday defiant Volodymyr Zelensky gave every indication he was determined to stick to his country’s red lines on negotiations, backed by Britain and others.
Donald Trump has accepted Russian demands for the United States to recognise Ukraine’s eastern provinces as belonging to the Kremlin
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky gave every indication he was determined to stick to his country’s red lines on negotiations, backed by Britain and others
He said: ‘Our partners are impressed how Ukraine keeps fighting in the pursuit of peace. The president of Finland briefed me on the conditions Russia is putting forward. And now we are preparing for a meeting with the American side to discuss the steps needed to make peace a reality.
‘Our work goes on, our struggle goes on.
‘We have no right to fall short, no right to retreat. If we lose our unity, we lose everything.’ Putin has said Russia was ready ‘to sit down and seriously discuss specific issues’ but has also threatened to continue fighting.
Russia does not appear to have made a single concession – and while the US has applied sanctions, these measures have failed to affect the Kremlin’s position.
Putin maintains Russia has momentum on the battlefield and does not need to stop. However, his gains in eastern Ukraine have come at a heavy cost of manpower.
According to the US-based Institute for the Study of War, at this rate it would take Moscow almost two more years to seize the rest of the Donetsk region.
‘Data on Russian forces’ rate of advance indicates that a Russian military victory in Ukraine is not inevitable, and a rapid Russian seizure of the rest of Donetsk Oblast is not imminent’, the institute reported.
‘Ukrainian forces have proven effective at constraining Russian advances and conducting successful counteroffensives, particularly when well-staffed and well-equipped.’ Putin has demanded that Ukrainian troops withdraw from the Donbas region or face being killed.
Earlier this week he said: ‘If they don’t withdraw, we’ll achieve this by force of arms.’
Putin has also demanded Mr Zelensky is removed from office before Russia signs any peace agreements.
He regards the government in Kyiv as illegitimate after it cancelled a general election.
