«--[· Preface ·]--»
After the phone call with Putin, Trump's attitude towards Russia has changed dramatically, and he, who has been screaming about sanctions against Russia, suddenly stood on Putin's side.
According to Central TV news reports, during the White House meeting with Zelensky, Trump proposed Russia a ceasefire on the current front, and also demanded that the opponent must surrender the Donbass region, otherwise Russia will completely "destroy" Ukraine.
Zelensky naturally refused to promise, after all, the Crimea and the four states of Uzbekistan, which were publicly invaded by Russia, are now under the control of the Russian military, and it would be difficult for Ukraine to want to reclaim these territories if it accepted the outcome of the current battlefield.
However, informed sources revealed that in previous calls, Putin made major concessions, suggesting that Trump could return to the other party only if he persuaded Ukraine to abandon the Donbass region, part of the territory controlled by Russian troops in Zaporozhye and Helsinki.
“Russian calls release heavy pound signals.”
After three and a half years of conflict, a call to change the situation suddenly broke the impasse.On October 16, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin had a two-and-a-half-hour "marathon" conversation, and the two sides rarely reached preliminary consensus on energy infrastructure ceasefire and exchange of prisoners of war.
What is even more shocking is that Trump declared after the call that "the dawn of peace has emerged" and revealed that Putin hinted that he was willing to use parts of Zaporizhe and Kherson territory as bargaining chips in exchange for Ukraine's recognition of Russia's complete control over Donetsk and Luhansk.
It is important to know that Zaporizhia and Helsinki are strategic areas in southern Ukraine, not only with a Black Sea outlet, but also carrying 15% of Ukraine’s agricultural output value.
While Donetsk and Lugansk, as the core regions of the “Four states of the East”, have been in turmoil since 2014, Putin signed an order in 2022 to include it in the Russian map. If this exchange becomes true, it means that Ukraine will lose about 120,000 square kilometers of land, equivalent to one-fifth of its land area.
Just half a month ago, Trump also openly supported Ukraine’s “recapture of all territory” and even hinted on the possibility of providing “Tax” cruise missiles to enhance the Ukrainian military’s long-range strike capabilities.
But after talking to Putin, he suddenly turned his attitude 180 degrees when he met Zelensky at the White House, calling for Ukraine to "immediately cease the fire and accept reality", otherwise facing "the total destruction of Russia."
Putin’s “Territory for Peace” Strategy
Putin's proposal of "territorial concessions" may seem tempting, but it actually has a hidden meaning. From a military perspective, the Russian army currently controls more than 99% of the areas in Donetsk and Luhansk, while the front lines of Zaporizhe and Khersson are stuck in a stalemate due to Ukrainian counterattacks.
If part of the disputed territory is exchanged for legal recognition of the core area of eastern Ukraine, it can not only consolidate the existing achievements, but also alleviate the international community's accusations of Russia's "aggression", which can be described as "killing two birds with one stone". More crucially, Putin cleverly kicked the ball to Trump.
According to the Washington Post disclosure, the Russian side made it clear in the call that the plan is conditional on the United States to persuade Ukraine to accept and stop military aid to Ukraine.This means that if Trump wants to promote a deal, it must simultaneously pressure the Zelensky government and the U.S. Congress.
But the problem is that the opposition to territorial concessions in Ukraine is extremely high. Zelensky reiterated at a press conference on October 19 that he "will never give up Donbass" and asked, "Why doesn't Russia withdraw its troops after writing Crimea into the constitution?"
Judging from Russia's strategic layout, this proposal may be aimed at dividing the Western camp. For a long time, the United States and Europe have had differences on policies towards Russia. European countries prefer to resolve conflicts through negotiations, while American hawks advocate continued military pressure.
By releasing the “territorial concessions” signal, Putin attempted to make Trump play the role of “peacebuilder” on the international stage, thus weakening Europe’s support for Ukraine. As Hungarian Prime Minister Orban said, the US-Russian leaders’ planned meeting in Budapest “may be an opportunity to change the rules of the game.”
“Trump’s Political Gambling”
Trump's sudden turn caused fierce controversy in the United States. Supporters believe that he has seized the "historic opportunity" unleashed by Putin, which is expected to end this consuming war. Opponents accuse it of "betraying its allies" and using Ukraine's territorial sovereignty as a bargaining chip with Putin. Some people even question that Trump may be accumulating political capital for the 2026 presidential election-after all, the achievements of "ending the war" are extremely attractive to voters.
It is worth noting that Trump’s proposal contradicts the traditional U.S. diplomatic strategy. Since the outbreak of the conflict, the U.S. has provided Ukraine with more than hundreds of billions of dollars in military aid, including cutting-edge weapons such as the “Hamas” rocket cannon and the “Patriot” air defense system. But after speaking to Putin, Trump suddenly suspended plans to supply “Taxic” missiles to Ukraine on the basis of “America’s own needs” and hinted that subsequent aid would be reduced.
This shift in attitude has angered the Ukrainian government, with Yelmark, head of the office of the Ukrainian president, privately complaining that “the United States is abandoning us”.
Under the U.S. Constitution, the president has broad powers in foreign affairs, but agreements involving territorial changes usually require congressional approval. If Trump bypasses Congress and reaches a secret agreement with Putin, it could trigger a constitutional crisis.
“The trouble of Zelensky...”
Faced with the "deal" between the United States and Russia, Ukraine is in a dilemma. Militarily, the Ukrainian army recovered some of its lost ground in the spring 2025 counterattack, but as the Russian army adjusted its tactics, the battlefield situation once again fell into a deadlock. Economically, the war has caused Ukraine's GDP to shrink by 40%, and the country's foreign debt of US$40 billion has overwhelmed it.
If it continues, Ukraine may face state bankruptcy; but if it accepts territorial concessions, it will not only lose its strategic importance, but it could also trigger domestic political turmoil.
"Never accept any cession of territory" and expressed his willingness to engage in "unconditional negotiations" with Russia. This contradictory statement reflects his inner struggle: he wants to win more international support, but he dares not completely offend the United States.
In order to increase bargaining chips, the Ukrainian President met with representatives of the Tomahawk missile manufacturer during his visit to the United States, trying to force Russia to make concessions by demonstrating "military deterrence." Ukraine's European allies are also in an awkward position. Although leaders such as German Chancellor Merz and French President Macron publicly support Ukraine's "territorial integrity", they are privately tired of the long-term war.
There even appeared a voice within the EU that called it "territory for peace", believing that this was the only way to end the conflict. This change in attitude made Zelensky's team feel isolated and helpless, and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Serbiška reluctantly said, "Europe's support is becoming unprofitable."
“ ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ”
In this war without smoke, no one is the real winner, and only through dialogue and compromise can Ukraine regain the dawn of peace.