WSJ: Putin may propose to Trump to assign part of occupied territories to Russia

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin may propose to the United States that Russia officially control part of the territory of Ukraine it occupies in exchange for the withdrawal of its troops from other parts of the country. The Wall Street Journal was told by an unnamed senior European diplomat and a Ukrainian official.

According to them, U.S. President Donald Trump, , seeking a peace deal, may urge Ukraine and its allies to accept the proposal. However, Kyiv and Europe are expected to reject the plan, the official said, and this will only play into Putin's hands, as Trump could accuse Ukraine of dragging out the fight.

Against this backdrop, it could also cut off intelligence and military support to Ukraine, as it already did in February 2025. America may also withdraw from the diplomatic process entirely, leaving Moscow and Kyiv to continue the "war Biden " as Trump calls it.

However, people who know the US president suspect that he will be pursuing the most valuable deal, where success or failure could "define his legacy.".

"He wants to be the one who makes the deals. That's his brand," said senior White House aide Mark Short.

In addition, there is an additional concern that Putin may not be serious about reaching an agreement, says Alina Polyakova, director general of the Washington-based Center for European Policy Analysis.

"Putin has made it clear that the war in Ukraine is more important to him than relations with the United States... The war continues to drag on," she said .

• on August 6, Putin met with Vitkoff in Moscow. Trump says, that they "made significant progress". After the meeting, Trump called Zelenskiy to discuss what had been announced in Moscow.
• The same day, the president said that it seems now Russia is more inclined to a truce. The next day, Trump said, he sees "very good chances" of a trilateral meeting between him, Zelenskiy and Putin.
• On August 7, Trump responded, whether the ultimatum to Putin on sanctions was valid on August 8. According to the US president, everything will depend on the dictator himself.