- Source says Putin demanding control of entire Donetsk region
- Trump says Zelenskiy has ‘gotta make a deal’
- Zelenskiy reported to have rejected demand
- Zelenskiy to visit Trump on Monday with European back-up
- Europeans say they will maintain or increase pressure on Russia
WASHINGTON/MOSCOW/KYIV, Aug 16 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Ukraine should make a deal to end the war with Russia because “Russia is a very big power, and they’re not”, after a summit where Vladimir Putin was reported to have demanded more Ukrainian land.
After the two leaders met in Alaska on Friday, Trump told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that Putin had offered to freeze most front lines if Kyiv ceded all of Donetsk, the industrial region that is one of Moscow’s main targets, a source familiar with the matter said.
Did he say it like “Boy, that Putin sure is looking to try for more of your country. But don’t worry, we got your back like we promised on condition of you giving up your nukes back in the day.”
Or was it more like “Putin wants more of your land and you should give it to him because we’re no longer holding up our end of the agreement.”
Cause there is an important distinction between the two.
There is? I’m not seeing it. We’re already failing to hold up our end of the agreement.