Russian President Vladimir Putin’s definition of victory in Ukraine has significantly downscaled since the 2022 invasion, from initial ambitions of regime change and “demilitarization” to more limited territorial goals like controlling the Donbas and holding a land bridge to Crimea.

President Trump has repeatedly shifted his positions on Ukraine to accommodate Russian President Vladimir Putin, even as Putin has given very little in return. Why it matters: Trump's critics claim he's getting played — that Putin has no intention of making peace and is stringing him along.

Putin said this month that any ceasefire deal should reflect the 'realities' on the ground but that he feared a short-lived truce which would only allow the West to rearm Ukraine.