Moscow: In a phone call with US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded that Kyiv surrender full control of Donetsk as a condition to end the war, two senior officials said, according to the Washington Post. Notably, Donetsk is a strategically important region in eastern Ukraine.

For the past 11 years, Putin has tried but failed to seize the territory, as Ukrainian forces, firmly entrenched in the area, have repeatedly pushed back his attempts. They see the region as a key defence line against a rapid Russian push toward their capital.

Putin’s focus on Donetsk suggests he is not backing away from past demands that have left the conflict in a stalemate, despite Trump’s optimism about securing a deal, the officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to d

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