Putin demands Ukraine withdraw troops from Donetsk, willing to exchange a freeze on the southern front for territorial concessions According to the Financial Times on August 16, Putin has requested that Ukraine withdraw its troops from the Donetsk region as a condition for ending the conflict. He told Trump that if his core demands are met, he could freeze fighting in other areas along the front. Four people with direct knowledge of the talks revealed that Putin made this request during a meeting with Trump in Alaska on Friday. Subsequently, Trump conveyed this message to Zelensky and European leaders during a call on Saturday, urging them to abandon efforts to obtain Moscow's agreement for a ceasefire. Three individuals familiar with the talks stated that in exchange for Ukraine handing over the Donetsk region, Putin said he would freeze the front lines in southern Kherson and Zaporizhia (where Russian troops control large areas of land) and would not launch new offensives to seize more territory. Those familiar with Zelensky's thinking indicated that he would not agree to hand over Donetsk, but is willing to discuss territorial issues with Trump in Washington—where the two are expected to meet on Monday.