Peace Talks and Land Swaps: What's Really Going On?

A recent phone call between Steve Witkoff, a key figure in Donald Trump's team, and Yuri Ushakov, a top aide to Vladimir Putin, has shed light on the behind-the-scenes discussions about ending the Ukraine conflict. The conversation, recorded and later obtained by Bloomberg, revealed that Witkoff believes Ukraine might need to give up some land to achieve peace. Witkoff suggested that Russia gaining control of Donetsk and possibly other territories could be part of the solution. He advised Ushakov to frame the discussions optimistically, hinting that a deal might be on the horizon. This conversation seems to be the starting point of a controversial 28-point peace proposal that surfaced later. The proposal, which has faced significant criticism, includes Ukraine ceding the entire Donetsk region to Russia. This region would become a demilitarized zone under international recognition as Russian territory. Additionally, Russia would gain control of Luhansk and Crimea, with current battle lines frozen in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. Witkoff, who recently helped broker a ceasefire in Gaza, proposed a similar framework for the Ukraine conflict. He suggested developing a joint peace plan with Moscow and Washington, modeled after the Gaza agreement. He also offered advice on how Putin should approach the subject with Trump, including scheduling a phone call before Volodymyr Zelenskyy's White House visit. Ushakov seemed to take some of Witkoff's advice on board, indicating that Putin would congratulate Trump and acknowledge his commitment to peace. Meanwhile, Trump has announced plans to send Witkoff to meet with Putin in Moscow and US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll to meet with Ukrainian officials, ahead of a potential White House meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy. The US has been pushing Ukraine to accept this framework as a foundation for ending the nearly four-year conflict. However, Ukrainian officials have been firm in their stance, refusing to recognize Russian control of occupied territories or accept limits on their military forces. This development comes as Trump's stance towards Moscow appears to be shifting. On the same day as the Witkoff-Ushakov call, Trump expressed frustration with Putin's unwillingness to end the war, questioning his motives and the impact of the ongoing conflict on Russia's international image.