Donald Trump is reportedly planning to urge Ukraine to surrender the Donetsk and Luhansk regions as part of negotiations over an end to the war.

The traditionally Russian-speaking area is at the heart of what the Russian president calls the “root causes” of the war, and taking it over is near the top of his list of territorial and political demands.

LONDON (Reuters) -Russia would relinquish tiny pockets of occupied Ukraine and Kyiv would cede swathes of its eastern land which Moscow has been unable to capture, under peace proposals discussed by Russia's Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump at their Alaska summit,

The leaders of France, Germany and Britain will try to shore up Ukraine's position on Sunday as President Volodymyr Zelenskiy prepares to meet Donald Trump in Washington with the U.S. leader pressing Kyiv to accept a deal to end the war.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said "both sides are going to have to make concessions" to end Russia's war in Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s goals go beyond a land grab and aim at Ukraine’s capitulation. Kyiv and the West hope to draw a line.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reacts as he attends a press conference held by U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin following their meeting to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine,