Putin demands full control of Donetsk and Luhansk as condition for ending Ukraine war – live

<p>Putin told Trump he would halt further advances and freeze Ukrainian frontline where Russian forces occupy significant areas, sources say</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/16/zelenskyy-to-meet-trump-on-monday-putin-alaska-summit-briefing">Zelenskyy to meet Trump on Monday after Putin summit briefing</a></p></li></ul><p><strong>Here is the full statement by Volodymyr Zelenskyy following his conversation with Donald Trump after the US president met with Vladmir Putin in Alaska on Friday:</strong></p><p>Today, following a conversation with President Trump, we further coordinated positions with European leaders. The positions are clear. A real peace must be achieved, one that will be lasting, not just another pause between Russian invasions.</p><p>Killings must stop as soon as possible, the fire must cease both on the battlefield and in the sky, as well as against our port infrastructure. All Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians must be released, and the children abducted by Russia must be returned. Thousands of our people remain in captivity – they all must be brought home. Pressure on Russia must be maintained while the aggression and occupation continue.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2025/aug/16/putin-trump-summit-alaska-us-europe-ukraine-security-guarantees-zelenskyy-latest-news-updates">Continue reading...</a>