The US plans to demand that Russia recognize Ukraine's right to its own army and defense industry as part of an agreement to end the war, writes Bloomberg, citing sources familiar with the discussions in Washington. It is noted that US President Donald Trump's special representative, Steve Witkoff, may raise this issue during the next meeting with Vladimir Putin.
Agreeing to allow Ukraine to have its own army would mean that Putin would have to abandon his goal of demilitarizing the country, the agency notes. Moreover, it is a sign that the Trump administration is ready to seek some concessions from Moscow, not just from Kyiv, to end the war.
According to Bloomberg, the US also wants Russia to return control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant to Ukraine, which it seized at the start of the full-scale invasion. According to sources, the facility is planned to be transferred under Washington's control afterward to supply energy to both sides.
Additionally, sources told journalists that the US wants to ensure Ukraine's passage through the Dnipro and return the territories occupied by Russia in the Kharkiv region. Putin, on the other hand, demands recognition of the Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions as Russian territories, although the Russians have not managed to fully occupy these regions.
Photo: Diego Herrera Carcedo / Anadolu Agency