From the Liveblog of
Thursday, August 14, 2025
US, Russia said to consider West Bank-style future for Ukraine occupation – report
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The US and Russia may be looking to Israel’s control of the West Bank as a model for ending the war in Ukraine, according to a report in The Times.
The British outlet reports that, according to “a source close to the US national security council,” the scenario would involve Russia having security and economic control over the areas it currently occupies, while formally they remain part of Ukraine.
“It’ll just be like Israel occupies the West Bank,” The Times quotes the source as saying. “With a governor, with an economic situation that goes into Russia, not Ukraine. But it’ll still be Ukraine, because… Ukraine will never give up its sovereignty. But the reality is it’ll be occupied territory and the model is Palestine.”
The Times reports that the idea was raised in a meeting between Russian officials and Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump’s chief envoy. Witkoff has also led US efforts to free the Israeli hostages held by Hamas and reach a ceasefire in the war in Gaza.
Deputy White House Press Secretary Anna Kelly denies the report as “total fake news and sloppy reporting by The Times, who clearly has terrible sources. Nothing of the sort was discussed with anyone at any point.”
Israel has controlled the West Bank since conquering it from Jordan in the 1967 Six Day War. Since 1994, the Palestinian Authority has governed daily life in Palestinian population centers there, and the territory is also home to around 500,000 Israeli settlers. Palestinians and much of the international community say Israel is illegally occupying the territory.
Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are due to meet and discuss the war on Friday in Alaska.
The Times of Israel Community.