Was sind die Optionen für die Grenze der Ukraine? Karten erklärt

European countries believe that any ceasefire should be based on the present 680-mile long front line, which has remained largely static since Russian forces were pushed back after the initial invasion in 2022, despite counteroffensives by Ukraine.

Russian troops have continued to make advances in the east of Ukraine, however, and Putin may be reluctant to halt his offensive. For example, he is close to encircling the town of Pokrovsk, which has long been a target. Even small gains in territory can put Ukraine’s logistics and supply lines at risk of attacks from Russia’s FPV (first-person view) drones.

The two provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk are known collectively as the Donbas. Fighting has been going on there since 2014. Ukraine has almost lost the entirety of Luhansk but still controls a third of Donetsk. Putin is said to have named his price for a ceasefire as the whole Donbas, which would mean Ukraine abandoning its entrenched defensive positions in Donetsk, leaving it vulnerable to further attack.