Putin's focus on Donetsk suggests he is not backing away from past demands that have left the conflict in a stalemate

xMoscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a phone call this past week with US President Donald Trump, demanded that Kyiv surrender full control of Donetsk, a strategically vital region in eastern Ukraine, as a condition for ending the war, said two senior officials familiar with the conversation, The Washington Post reported.

Putin has tried and failed to conquer the territory for 11 years, repeatedly repulsed by Ukrainian forces who are deeply entrenched in an area they believe is a major bulwark against a speedy Russian advance westward toward their capital. Putin's focus on Donetsk suggests he is not backing away from past demands that have left the conflict in

See Full Page