The United States is reportedly preparing to recognize Russia’s control over Crimea and other occupied Ukrainian territories. The move comes as part of President Donald Trump’s effort to secure a deal to end the war, which involved proposing a plan directly to the Kremlin.
The offer is to be delivered by US envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, who are expected to travel to Moscow next week to present the proposal directly to Russian President Vladimir Putin, The Telegraph reported.
The plan would mark a significant break with longstanding US diplomatic convention by granting legal recognition to territory seized by force. One well-placed source said: “It’s increasingly clear the Americans don’t care about the European position. They say the Europeans can do whatever they want.”
Putin said on Thursday, Washington’s potential recognition of Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk as Russian territory would be among the key issues in negotiations over Trump’s peace initiative.
Revised US plan still includes recognition offer
The Kremlin confirmed it had received a revised strategy for ending the war, following emergency talks between Ukrainian and US officials in Geneva last weekend.
An initial 28-point peace plan, drafted by Witkoff after discussions with Russian officials, proposed America’s “de facto” recognition of Crimea and the two eastern Donbas regions as Russian, as well as recognition of Russian-held territory behind the line of contact in Ukraine’s Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions after any ceasefire.
US and Ukrainian officials later negotiated a revised 19-point framework in Geneva, described as less favorable to Moscow. However, multiple sources indicated that US recognition of Russian-held territory remains part of the broader strategy.
Kyiv rejects any territorial concessions
Ukraine’s constitution prevents any government from ceding territory without approval via nationwide referendum, and senior Ukrainian officials have reiterated that no such concessions will be made.
In an interview with The Atlantic, Presidential Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak said: “Not a single sane person today would sign a document to give up territory. As long as [President Volodymyr] Zelensky is president, no one should count on us giving up territory. He will not sign away territory. The constitution prohibits this. Nobody can do that unless they want to go against the Ukrainian constitution and the Ukrainian people.”
Yermak and National Security Adviser Rustem Umerov are expected to travel to Florida to meet US officials at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence this weekend.
The latest US proposal reportedly leaves blank spaces for the most contentious issues, including final territorial arrangements, to be addressed only during face-to-face talks between Trump and Zelensky. So far, no date has been confirmed for such a meeting.
European leaders warn against redrawing borders by force
European allies have voiced alarm at Washington’s apparent willingness to legitimize territorial conquest. After a meeting of the coalition of the willing, attended by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, European leaders reiterated that they “were clear on the principle that borders must not be changed by force. This remains one of the fundamental principles for preserving stability and peace in Europe and beyond.”
A European counter-proposal to the original US plan explicitly stated that territorial issues should be resolved only after a full and unconditional ceasefire.
Until now, the US and Europe have refused to recognize Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its 2022 claims over Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
Moscow signals no retreat amid rising European alarm
In a recently published national security strategy, the Kremlin pledged to integrate occupied Ukrainian regions into the Russian system within a decade, reinforcing Moscow’s position that these territories are non-negotiable.
Despite peace efforts, the document underscores that Russia has shown no sign of readiness to relinquish its territorial claims. On Thursday, Putin again signaled that Moscow would persist in asserting control over the occupied regions, indicating that Russia is prepared to continue pursuing its objectives by military means if they are not secured at the negotiating table.
The revelations have sparked renewed concern in Europe that a deal perceived as heavily favoring Moscow could be imposed on Kyiv by Washington, heightening fears of a precedent where borders are altered through force.