The United States is ready to recognize Russia's control over Crimea and other occupied Ukrainian territories to secure an agreement to end the war, The Telegraph reported, citing its own sources.
US President Donald Trump is sending his special representative Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner to Moscow to make a direct offer of a deal to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The plan to recognize territory, which violates US diplomatic conventions, is likely to be implemented despite concerns among Ukraine's European allies.
A well-informed source said: “It is becoming increasingly clear that the Americans are not interested in the European position. They say the Europeans can do whatever they want.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the "legal recognition by the United States" of Crimea, as well as the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, will become one of the key issues in the negotiations on the US peace plan.
Ukraine wants to discuss the most sensitive issues with the US at the leadership level, but it is still unclear when President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet with President Donald Trump.
The legal recognition of Crimea and Donbas as territories of Russia should become the subject of negotiations between Moscow and Washington, Putin said, commenting to journalists on the point in the US peace plan, which provides only for the de facto recognition of these territories as part of Russia, TASS reported.
"This should be the subject of negotiations with the American side," Putin pointed out. “This is one of the key moments“, he added.
According to the plan, the content of which was published in the media, the United States and other countries undertake to recognize Russia's sovereignty over Crimea, Donbass and other territories that Ukraine must give up. In exchange, the Ukrainian side will receive American and European security guarantees. A demilitarized zone is planned to be created in the areas from which Ukrainian troops will be withdrawn.