Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested that he stop his invasion of Ukraine along the lines of the front as they have been currently formed, as part of the efforts to reach a peace deal with US President Donald Trump, writes the Financial Times.

Putin told Steve Whitkov, Trump’s special envoy, at a meeting earlier this month in St. Petersburg, that Russia could resign from its claims in those areas of the four occupied Ukrainians.

Whitkov is going to travel to Russia for talks with Putin later this week, White House spokesman Caroline Levit announced earlier today. “We hope that we are moving in the right direction” on the issue of Ukraine, the spokesman said, noting that President Trump has expressed his dissatisfaction, both against Ukraine and Russia, because he is not trying to end the war.

The United States, according to the same sources, have since submitted proposals for a possible agreement, including the recognition by Washington of Russian domination over the Crimean Peninsula, as well as at least indirect acceptance of the Cremlin’s de facto controller in the area.

This proposal is the first official indication since the beginning of the war, three years ago, that Russia may retreat from its maximalist demands to end the invasion, the Financial Times said.

However, European officials who have been informed of US war efforts have warned that Putin would probably use the apparent concession as bait to drag Trump to accept the rest of Russia’s demands and impose them on Ukraine.

“There is a lot of pressure right now in Kiev to retreat to some issues so that Trump can claim to have achieved a victory,” one of them said.

Donaln Trump “wants to see peace, wants this war to end” and has been upset with both sides of the war, said White House spokesman Caroline Levit. The president, he stressed, will continue his talks with Vladimir Putin.