European and Ukrainian Response to Putin’s Controversial Condition

The American media reported that European countries and Ukraine have responded to the Russian president’s proposal to stop the war in Ukraine and have drawn their red lines for upcoming talks. Most reports from European and Ukrainian officials stated that Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, made a comprehensive proposal for a ceasefire in Ukraine to the government of Donald Trump, the president of the United States, according to which the war in Ukraine would stop in exchange for the eastern region of Ukraine known as Donbas.

The Wall Street Journal wrote late Saturday in a report quoting informed European and Ukrainian officials: “European powers and Ukraine responded on Saturday to Vladimir Putin’s ceasefire plan with a counterproposal which, according to them, should be used as a framework for upcoming negotiations between President Trump and President Putin.”

European governments, including the United Kingdom, Germany, and France, as well as Ukraine, mobilized to respond to the peace proposal resulting from last week’s meeting between Vladimir Putin and Steve Witkoff, the U.S. presidential special envoy, at the Kremlin. Following these talks, President Trump canceled his self-imposed deadline to impose secondary sanctions on Russia and agreed to hold a meeting with Putin in Alaska on August 15 (24 Mordad).

This American media outlet emphasizes: “The goal of the Europeans is to establish a common red line with Ukraine that, according to European officials, must be enforced in any possible negotiation with Russia.”

Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, wrote on the social network X on Saturday: “The future of Ukraine cannot be determined without the Ukrainians who have been fighting for their freedom and security for over three years. Europeans will not necessarily be part of the solution because this issue concerns their security.”

The Wall Street Journal quoted informed sources writing: “The European proposal includes demands for establishing a ceasefire before any other action. They also emphasize that territorial exchanges are only possible reciprocally; meaning if Ukraine withdraws from certain areas, Russia must also retreat from other territories.”

One European negotiator said: “You cannot initiate a process by conceding territory in the midst of a war.”

Importantly, the European plan, which was presented to U.S. officials including U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. presidential representative for Ukraine Kate Klag, and Witkoff, also stipulates that any territorial concessions by Kyiv “must be guaranteed with firm security assurances, including Ukraine’s potential NATO membership.”

According to this American newspaper, the European plan was prepared by senior aides to European leaders and submitted to the American side.

Putin’s recent proposal has faced skepticism from some Ukrainian and European officials who stated it is “a trick to escape the sanctions and tariffs” that President Trump promised to impose on Russia by Friday if a ceasefire agreement was not reached.

Some European officials say: “If Ukraine hands over the entire Donetsk region, Russia must withdraw from Zaporizhzhia and Kherson in the south.”

This surprising plan shocked Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, who was not invited to Alaska, as well as European leaders. After a Saturday conversation with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Zelensky described the plan as “a proposal to reduce everything to the discussion of the impossible,” adding that Ukraine will not give away its land to anyone.