The peace of Ukraine, in its decisive phase: Trump will meet Zelensky after being with Putin

Donald Trump and Volodimir Zelensky will meet atthe White House in Washington tomorrow, Monday, at a meeting that could mark a turning point in thewar in Ukraine, just 48 hours after the summit between Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska, at which the chances of a peace agreement that goes beyond the truce will be explored.

In recent days, Trump has publicly defended the need for a treaty between Moscow and Kiev and has conveyed to Zelensky and several European leaders the Kremlin's proposals, including the demand that Ukraine hand over control of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions to the Russians as a prerequisite for ending the war.

The US president has stressed that an isolated ceasefire "cannot be sustained for long, "so Trump would like to see progress toward a definitive peace . In his view, the next step would be a trialogue with Zelensky and Putin to sign a lasting peace treaty.

For Moscow,in addition to the control of Donetsk and Lugansk, the negotiation should include assurances about the future status of other regions (Jerson and Zaporiyia), as well as requests relating to sanctions in Crimea, Russia and theWest.

Zelensky , who has been in contact with members of Europe and the Baltic over the weekend and will come to the meeting in Washington with the support of several EU governments , has repeatedly stated that peace cannot be achieved through unilateral concessions, while some leaders, such as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, have pointed out that a rapid and stable agreement can lead to more than a fragile ceasefire.

In any case, Monday's meeting will be crucial because, in addition to agreeing on a common road map between Washington and Kiev, the announcement of a trialogue could come out of it, which, if concluded, would open the most serious negotiation since the start of the Russian-Ukrainian war in February 2022.

Moscow demands

According to information published by the British newspaper Financial Times, Vladimir Putinhas transferred to Donald Trump that Russia is ready to end the war. However, the Russian put conditions on the table: only if Ukraine agrees to relinquish the Donetsk and Lugansk regions.

The newspaper adds that, in return, Moscow would commit itself to abandoning the front-line in Jerson and Zaporiyia and returning the small enclaves occupied in the Kharkov and Sumy regions. Moreover, Putin would propose international recognition of the annexation of Crimea and the lifting of some of the sanctions, which Kiev and its European partners consider unacceptable.