Not a step back: Putin will not give up Zaporozhye and Kherson regions — WP

It is unlikely that the Kremlin has abandoned its ultimate goals regarding Ukraine — demilitarization, the establishment of a pro-Russian regime and a neutral status outside NATO. The Washington Post writes about this, citing sources.

Russia offered Kiev to give up Donbass, which includes the LPR and the DPR, in exchange for a cease-fire, but did not offer anything in return, a source briefed on the negotiations said, in particular. According to him, the Kremlin is not ready to give up territories in the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, "where Russian military successes have provided Moscow with a valuable land bridge" to Crimea.

Russian analysts also believe that President Vladimir Putin will not agree to withdraw troops from Kherson and Zaporozhye regions.

"Russian troops are not going to take a single step back," Sergei Markov said, in particular.

According to him, the only compromise that Russia can make will be the cessation of the military campaign to seize the Odessa and Kharkiv regions, as well as the cities of Kherson and Zaporozhye, which remain under the control of Ukraine.

As EADaily reported, Russian President Vladimir Putin received what he had been seeking since January — a one-on-one meeting with American leader Donald Trump without the presence of Vladimir Zelensky to present his arguments and conclude a deal on Ukraine. This was reported by The New York Times.