US and Russia Push Truce Plan That Could Lock In Putin’s Ukraine Gains

The US and Russia are reportedly working on a truce plan that would freeze the war in Ukraine more or less along current front lines, effectively locking in many of Moscow’s battlefield gains. Bloomberg’s reporting says the talks are tied to a possible Trump–Putin summit as soon as next week, and the headline-grabbing takeaway is that the deal would “cement” those gains. 

President Donald Trump (left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (right).

What might be on the table? People familiar with the talks say Moscow wants any ceasefire to come with harsh conditions on Western military aid to Kyiv. That aligns with earlier signals from Russian officials that a halt in arms shipments is a prerequisite for any deal. Critics warn a freeze like this could reward aggression and only pause the fighting.

Timing looks fast. The Kremlin has been preparing for a first face-to-face meeting between Trump and Putin in days, with locations like the UAE being floated. Trump has been pressing for a truce for months and recently tightened his deadline for progress.

Kyiv has repeatedly rejected any settlement that recognizes Russian territorial claims, so expect a loud pushback if this framework is genuine. None of this is final, but the direction of travel is fairly straightforward at present.