The China Mail - Turkey says Russia scales back Ukraine territorial demands

Russia occupies around one-fifth of Ukraine's territory, and has claimed to have annexed five of the country's regions -- Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, along with Crimea, which it seized in 2014.

At peace talks in Istanbul this year, Russia's negotiators demanded Ukraine pull out of those regions entirely as a precondition to ending the conflict that started with Russia's 2022 invasion.

But following a summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, Moscow has scaled back its demands, Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said.

"Now they have given up on that demand and are staying on the contact lines, except for one region ... There is currently a preliminary (agreement) regarding the return of 25-30 percent of Donetsk and maintaining the contact line in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson," Fidan said in an interview with TGRT Haber on Thursday.

It was not clear who that agreement was between. Ukraine has repeatedly rejected territorial concessions, though President Volodymyr Zelensky has previously said Kyiv would need to secure the return of land through diplomacy, not on the battlefield.

Russia has had total control of Crimea since 2014 and already occupies practically the entire Lugansk region.

The apparent shift in Russia's position had previously been reported based on briefings by anonymous officials.

Turkey has hosted three rounds of Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul in recent months that have failed to break the deadlock.

Though a deadly strike on Kyiv that killed at least 23 people on Thursday further set back progress towards peace, Fidan hailed some diplomatic movement.

"The fact they have stated this themselves and have agreed to have it guaranteed by a security mechanism in principle ... actually provides a truly remarkable framework in this war," he added.

However, he acknowledged it would be difficult for Ukraine to give up its territory, including heavily fortified terrain that could leave Ukraine vulnerable.

"Once that territory is given up, the remaining area becomes a bit difficult to protect strategically," he said.

"But when you factor in security mechanisms and guarantees, you have to look at how the issue will unfold."

G.Fung--ThChM