Russian President Vladimir Putin indicated he could be open to swapping some territories controlled by Russian forces in Ukraine, while insisting on retaining full control of the Donbas region, according to the Kommersant newspaper.
"Vladimir Putin asserted that the Russian side is still ready to make the concessions that he made in Anchorage. In other words, that 'Donbas is ours,'" Kommersant reported.
Putin briefed top Russian businessmen on the plan during a late-night Kremlin meeting on December 24. He reportedly said that outside of Donbas, a "partial exchange of territories" could be discussed. The discussions come as United States and Ukrainian delegations work on finalizing a 20-point peace plan in Miami.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky noted that talks have advanced but major disagreements remain, particularly over parts of Donbas that Ukraine still controls and the future of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, currently under Russian control.
What does a territory swap mean in the Ukraine context?
A "territory swap" refers to the potential exchange of land between Russia and Ukraine as part of a negotiated peace deal. While Putin demands full control over the Donbas region, he may be willing to return or trade other areas currently under Russian occupation.