Putin and Trump to Discuss Ukraine Conflict Amid Worsening Situation in Donetsk
Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to meet with American President Donald Trump in Alaska on Friday to potentially address the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed apprehension that Russia may attempt to mislead the U.S. about its actual intentions, reports 24brussels.
Since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has reportedly insisted that Ukraine surrender control of parts of the Donetsk region that Moscow does not fully occupy. Kyiv has firmly rejected these demands as part of any potential ceasefire agreement.
While the Ukrainian military has dismissed reports that Russian forces have gained new positions in Donetsk, claiming they advanced approximately 15 kilometers in a narrow corridor over the past five days, open-source intelligence platform DeepState suggests that senior military commanders are downplaying the severity of the situation. This assessment is supported by various military personnel stationed on the front lines.
The Institute for the Study of War cautioned that, although it may be “premature” to characterize Russian advances as an operational-level breakthrough, there is a strong likelihood that Russian forces will attempt to solidify these tactical gains into a more significant operational advance in the coming days.
This recent progress by Russian troops obstructs Ukrainian logistics and endangers several key cities in the region, raising the risk of encirclement and loss.
The General Staff of Ukraine announced on Monday that it has decided to bolster military presence in the Donetsk area.
Bohdan Krotevych, a former lieutenant colonel in Ukraine’s National Guard, stated on X that the situation is “catastrophic.” He attributed the crisis to the fragmentation of military units and personnel along the front line, as well as a lack of coherent strategy from higher command, a criticism that has surfaced frequently among Ukrainian military and volunteer groups in recent months.
Ukrainian soldiers have persistently voiced concerns over misleading battlefield reports and the senior commanders’ inadequate understanding of the situation on the ground.
