Putin Demands Ukraine Surrender Donetsk in Call with Trump, Report Reveals

Putin's Demand for Donetsk Emerges from High-Stakes Call

Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly demanded that Ukraine surrender full control of the Donetsk region as a condition to end the ongoing conflict, during a phone call with US President Donald Trump this past week. The revelation comes from an exclusive report by The Washington Post, citing two senior officials familiar with the sensitive conversation.

The call, which occurred around October 16 or 17, 2025, saw Putin reportedly offer a concession: he might be willing to give up parts of the partially occupied Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions if Russia gained complete control over Donetsk. This demand underscores Moscow's persistent pursuit of long-standing territorial ambitions in eastern Ukraine, a region where Russian and proxy forces have been entrenched since 2014 but have never fully secured.

International Reactions and Trump's Stance

The reported demand has met with mixed reactions internationally. While some White House officials privately viewed Putin's offer as a potential 'narrowing' of Russia's earlier, more sweeping territorial claims made during an August summit in Anchorage, Ukrainian and European diplomats have largely dismissed the proposal. One senior European diplomat was quoted as saying, 'It's like selling them their own leg in exchange for nothing,' highlighting the perceived insignificance of the proposed concessions.

President Trump has not publicly endorsed Putin's specific demand for Donetsk. Following a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Washington on Friday, Trump took to social media, urging both sides to 'stop where they are' and 'make a deal.' Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, reportedly pressed Ukrainian officials during a White House meeting about the possibility of ceding Donetsk, arguing the region is predominantly Russian-speaking.

Future Diplomacy and Military Aid Debates

The phone call between Putin and Trump also preceded Zelenskyy's visit to Washington, where the Ukrainian leader was expected to press for the transfer of Tomahawk long-range missiles. However, following his conversation with Putin, Trump appeared hesitant to provide Ukraine with these advanced weapons, stating that the US needs to 'protect our country' and retain its own arsenal.

Looking ahead, a second summit between Trump and Putin is reportedly planned to take place in Budapest, Hungary, in the coming weeks, aimed at further discussions on a potential peace settlement. Meanwhile, President Zelenskyy has publicly urged allies against appeasing Russia, emphasizing that Ukraine 'will never grant terrorists any bounty for their crimes' and calling for decisive steps from international partners.