US President Donald Trump has ditched his call for a ceasefire in Ukraine, backing instead Russian President Vladimir Putin’s push for a permanent peace agreement. That has not stopped some European leaders from pushing for a temporary truce first, even though the US president has seemingly decided one is not necessary.

Much of the talk between President Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, today will center on whether Ukraine is willing to give up land to end the war with Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin has long sought to control the four Ukrainian regions of Luhansk,

Donetsk is strategically important to Ukraine, as is its so-called "fortress belt," the fortified defensive line since Russia invaded in 2014.