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President Donald Trump’s national security adviser has said that Ukraine will have to give up some of its occupied territory to Russia as part of a long-term peace agreement.
Some shit you should know before you read: Since the war broke out with Russia, Ukraine has lost significant portions of its territory, with Russian forces at their peak controlling nearly 30% of Ukraine, including Crimea, Donbas, and large parts of the Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions. That number was reduced after Ukraine’s counteroffensives in late 2022 and 2023, with Russia now holding roughly 23%. Russia, which has been making advancements, still holds key areas in the east and south, including Mariupol, Melitopol, and most of Luhansk and Donetsk. Despite these territorial losses, Ukraine has consistently stated that it will never recognize Russian occupation of any part of its land, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy repeatedly pointing to Ukraine’s constitution, which prohibits ceding sovereign territory. This stance has been a major obstacle in negotiations, as Ukraine demands a full Russian withdrawal while Russia insists on retaining control over the areas it occupies.
What’s going on now: During an interview on Fox News, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz stated that Ukraine would likely have to cede parts of the Donbas region to Russia as part of a negotiated peace settlement. Speaking with host Sean Hannity, Waltz confirmed that discussions were ongoing with both Ukraine and Russia. He stressed that the Trump administration was committed to brokering an agreement that stops the fighting. When Hannity asked whether Ukraine giving up parts of the Donbas, abandoning its NATO aspirations, and making economic concessions was part of the deal, Waltz responded, “Sean, no surprise, you’re not wrong in any of that. And what’s important is that we are discussing all of those things with both sides.” He added that President Trump was “determined to end this war” and that his team was actively engaging in diplomatic efforts to push both sides toward a settlement.
Waltz also discussed Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, who traveled to Moscow to meet directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin and deliver the ceasefire proposal. Waltz said, “Special Envoy Witkoff is out there and bringing things back for us to evaluate and for President Trump to make decisions on the next steps.”
The Kremlin later confirmed that Witkoff had met with Putin late Thursday night, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stating that “additional information was provided to the Russian side” and that Putin had sent “signals” back to Trump through the envoy.
Where Putin stands: Regarding the ceasefire proposal, Putin initially expressed openness to a ceasefire but later outlined a series of conditions that made it unclear whether he was truly willing to pause the fighting. Peskov stated that while there were “some grounds for cautious optimism,” a final agreement was still uncertain. Russia is reportedly seeking an end to weapons shipments into Ukraine, a halt to military mobilization and training, and a clear framework on how and who will monitor the ceasefire agreement.
