US President Donald Trump has stated that ongoing negotiations aimed at ending the war between Russia and Ukraine have involved discussions on the division of certain assets, including land and power plants.
Trump made the remarks on Sunday while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, adding that he is scheduled to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.
Trump’s comments follow his recent announcement that Ukraine had agreed to a US-proposed 30-day ceasefire, leaving the next move to Russia. While Moscow has acknowledged the proposal in principle, President Putin has attached conditions, including territorial concessions from Kyiv, and reiterated his stance that Ukraine’s government is a key factor in the conflict.
Kremlin Prepares for Trump-Putin Conversation
The Kremlin has confirmed that preparations are underway for the planned phone conversation between Putin and Trump on Tuesday. Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov acknowledged the upcoming discussion but declined to reveal details.
“Yes, that is indeed the case. Such a conversation is being prepared for Tuesday,” Peskov stated, as reported by Russian media outlet Interfax.
When asked to comment on Trump’s remarks regarding discussions over territorial control and nuclear power plants, Peskov avoided specifics. “We never do that, we never get ahead of events. The conversation is indeed being prepared, but in our understanding, a conversation between two presidents is not subject to prior substantive disclosure. Therefore, we will not do that,” he said.
Earlier, Trump announced that he planned to speak with Putin on March 18.
Land and Infrastructure in Focus
“We’re doing pretty well, I think, with Russia. We’ll see if we have something to announce maybe by Tuesday,” Trump stated during his flight back to the White House from Mar-a-Lago.
“A lot of work’s been done over the weekend, we want to see if we can bring that war to an end. Maybe we can, maybe we can’t, but I think we have a very good chance,” he added.
Trump indicated that negotiators have already outlined key discussion points, including territorial arrangements and critical infrastructure. “We’ll be talking about land. A lot of land is a lot different than it was before the war, as you know. We’ll be talking about land, we’ll be talking about power plants, that’s a big question,” he said.
The US president also confirmed that both Ukraine and Russia had engaged in discussions regarding asset division. “We’re already talking about that – dividing up certain assets,” he noted.
Territorial Concessions: A Contentious Issue
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 led to the largest land conflict in Europe since World War Two. Since then, Ukraine has lost control of approximately 11% of its territory, according to data from the Institute for the Study of War.
While Trump’s approach suggests that Ukraine may be pressured into making territorial concessions, Kyiv has consistently rejected such an outcome. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has maintained that ceding land to Russia is unacceptable, a position shared by several European leaders who warn that any settlement rewarding Russia’s aggression would set a dangerous precedent.
American officials have privately acknowledged that a territorial compromise may be necessary to reach a settlement, but the issue remains highly sensitive. Trump’s apparent willingness to discuss asset division before formal talks have concluded has raised concerns among NATO allies, particularly in Europe.
NATO Concerns Over US Policy Shift
Trump’s approach to the negotiations, along with his broader stance on NATO, has unsettled European allies. Some leaders fear that Washington’s commitment to European security could be wavering under his administration. Trump’s rhetoric has frequently suggested that NATO members should increase their defence spending or risk diminished US support.
Speaking on Sunday, Trump’s special envoy for the talks, Steve Witkoff, described ongoing negotiations as productive but declined to specify how the issue of territorial concessions would be addressed. He noted that Putin “accepts the philosophy of President Trump” in wanting to bring the war to an end and described recent discussions as “solution-based.”
Putin, meanwhile, has expressed optimism about improving US-Russia relations under Trump’s leadership. On Friday, the Russian president stated that diplomatic ties, which had been “practically reduced to zero” under the previous US administration, were beginning to recover.
“Overall, the situation is starting to move,” Putin remarked, adding, “Let’s see what comes out of this.”
