Putin is gradually moving away from his previous demands

According to three insiders, last week the Russian dictator told US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff that Moscow could abandon its "claims" to the unoccupied parts of four regions of Ukraine.

The proposal is the first official signal Putin has given since the war began three years ago that Russia might back down from its maximalist demands to end the invasion.

A new unexpected statement by the Russian dictator has led the United States to propose a new scenario for a potential "peaceful settlement."

As European officials note, they fear that Putin will use an apparent concession to the United States to persuade Trump to accept other Russian demands and impose them on Ukraine.

First of all, it concerns the recognition of the annexation of Crimea and the ban on joining NATO.