The media learned what Putin demanded in a phone call with Trump
19 October 2025 06:18
In a telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin demanded that the entire Donetsk region be brought under the control of the Russian army. This was reported by The Washington Post with reference to two senior officials familiar with the content of the conversation, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
They claim that in exchange for the Donetsk region, the Russian president is ready to give up the territory of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions.
The newspaper calls this “a somewhat less ambitious territorial demand” than the one Putin spoke about at the summit with Trump in Alaska in August.
One source emphasized that some White House officials considered this progress. According to another senior European diplomat, it is unlikely to be seen that way in Ukraine.
Putin has tried and failed for 11 years to win the territory, repeatedly being repulsed by Ukrainian troops who are deeply entrenched in what they see as a major bulwark against Russia’s rapid advance westward toward their capital, the newspaper said.
Putin’s focus on Donetsk shows that he is not backing down from past demands that have stalled the conflict, despite Trump’s optimism that a deal could be reached, said the officials, who requested anonymity to describe the sensitive, closed-door talks.
