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Breaking News: Former President donald Trump has indicated a willingness to consider ceding Ukrainian territory to russia as part of a potential peace deal, a statement made Monday, June 17, 2024, that has drawn sharp criticism from European leaders. This development precedes a planned meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the first face-to-face encounter between the two as 2019.
Trump, speaking to reporters, acknowledged RussiaS current occupation of Ukrainian land, stating, “Russia has occupied a big portion of Ukraine. They’ve occupied some very prime territory. We’re going to try and get some of that territory back for Ukraine.” He did not elaborate on specific areas or strategies for reclaiming territory.
The occupied territories include Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014 following a disputed referendum, and notable portions of eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region – specifically the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts – and also areas in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts seized during the full-scale invasion launched in February 2022. As of late 2023, Russia controlled approximately 17.5% of Ukraine’s internationally recognized territory, including Crimea.
European officials have urged Trump to consult with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy before engaging with Putin. Trump stated he intends to speak with both Zelenskyy and European allies both before and after the summit, promising to be “fully loaded” with information. He also suggested a direct meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin as a next step, offering to facilitate such a discussion.
The upcoming meeting between Trump and Putin is scheduled to take place during a global summit, the location of which has not been publicly disclosed. the last in-person meeting between the two leaders occurred at the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan, in June 2019. That meeting was largely informal and focused on arms control and trade.
The context of this potential negotiation arises from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which began in 2014 and escalated dramatically with Russia’s full-
