President Donald Trump supports Russian leader Vladimir Putin's proposal for Moscow to take full control of the Donbas and freeze the front lines elsewhere for a deal with Ukraine.

Ukraine can count on US participation in a security pledge similar to NATO's mutual defence commitment, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Sunday at a press briefing with the Ukrainian president.

Envoy Steve Witkoff said Russia would also make a legislative commitment not to go after any additional territory in Ukraine.

The US president demanded a ceasefire before he met Putin. His change of mind flies in the face of what Europe and Ukraine want.

After meeting the Russian president, President Trump told European leaders he now favors giving up territory Ukraine controls to Russia to end the fighting, a concession Ukraine has long opposed.

President Trump told European leaders in a phone call from Air Force One that he is more willing than before for the U.S. to provide direct security guarantees to Ukraine, according to people familiar with the content of the conversation.

The US and Russian leaders meet on the red carpet on the tarmac in Anchorage ahead of beginning talks shortly.

The problem is that they have no strategy of their own for ending the Ukraine war, other than hoping to contain Russia over the longer term.