RUSSIA and the US are considering a West Bank-style occupation of Ukraine to secure a truce, according to reports.
The superpowers have discussed using Israel’s occupation of the West Bank as a model for ending the war in Ukraine, sources said.
ReutersPresident Vladimir Putin welcomes US envoy Steve Witkoff during a meeting[/caption]
ReutersTrump and Putin will sit down for what the White House calls a ‘listening exercise’[/caption]
This would give Russia military and economic control of the occupied parts of Ukraine, which would run its own governing body, reports The Times.
Ukraine’s official borders wouldn’t budge, but the Kremlin would pull the strings in the regions it has swiped.
The idea was first raised weeks ago in discussions between US envoy Steve Witkoff and his Russian counterparts, a source close to the US national security council told the paper.
Witkoff apparently supported the plan, which the Americans believe offers a solution to the Ukrainian law against giving up land without a national referendum.
Meanwhile, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz says European leaders and Zelensky had a “constructive” chat with Trump about Ukraine.
Zelensky insisted there must be a meeting between all the three leaders of Ukraine, Russia and the US after he was snubbed from Trump and Putin’s head-to-head on Friday.
He said hopes a ceasefire will be the main topic of discussion in Alaska – and Merz reassured that Trump will make that his “priority”.
French president Emmanuel Macron said Trump would “fight” for a meeting with both Putin and Zelensky – which could be hosted in Europe.
Zelensky confirmed that Trump will call him after bidding farewell to Putin on Friday.
He raged: “Putin is bluffing, he’s trying to trying to push all over the front line.”
And he addressed the idea that Russia could occupy the whole of Ukraine, declaring: “This is not true.”
Ursula von der Leyden, European Commission President, agreed that that the European leaders a “very good” call with Trump.
She said: “Today Europe, the US and NATO have strengthened the common ground for Ukraine.
“We will remain in close coordination. Nobody wants peace more than us, a just and lasting peace.”
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