'Absolutely unacceptable' — Ukrainian MPs react to Witkoff's statements on occupied territories

Steve Witkoff's controversial comments on the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine have prompted criticism from Ukrainian lawmakers, with one even calling for the envoy's removal from the negotiations to end Moscow's full-scale invasion.

Witkoff, U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy on the Middle East and a key figure in the Russia-Ukraine peace efforts, told far-right commentator Tucker Carlson on March 21 that Ukrainians living in occupied territories want to live under Russian rule, as they have demonstrated in "referendums."

The real estate investor-turned-negotiator called Donbas, Crimea, and "two others" — presumably referring to Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts — a key issue in the Russia-Ukraine war.

"They are Russian-speaking, and there have been referendums where the overwhelming majority of the people have indicated that they want to be under Russian rule," Witkoff added, omitting that Russia's sham referendums were effectively held at gunpoint.

"In his statements, Witkoff calls into question the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine,"  Oleksandr Merezhko, head of the parliament's foreign affairs committee, told the Kyiv Independent, adding: "Such statements are absolutely unacceptable and go against U.S. policy toward Ukraine."

"That’s why it would be better if President Trump recalled Witkoff from the American delegation. Otherwise, it creates the wrong impression about U.S. foreign policy."

President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged that talks on territory would be "difficult" but rejected the possibility of recognizing the occupied territories — currently comprising about 20% of Ukraine's sovereign land — as Russian.

Moscow illegally declared the annexation of Crimea in 2014, as well as the partially occupied Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts eight years later, referring to them as "new regions."

The Trump administration has already signaled it expects Kyiv to make territorial concessions as part of a possible peace deal, calling a return to Ukraine's pre-2014 borders "unrealistic."

"I think many things that the United States already said in recent weeks are quite controversial," Yelyzaveta Yasko, a lawmaker from Zelensky's party, told the Kyiv Independent, adding: "But I want to give this time for the international community to try different ways (to end the war)."

Yasko called Witkoff's comments on Ukraine's occupied territories "concerning" but said it was too early to call for his removal.

"And for us, it is very important that the war ends with just peace, with justice," the lawmaker added.

Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, a lawmaker from the Holos party and chairman of the parliamentary committee on freedom of speech, said that the comments should be seen as Witkoff's stance rather than the official U.S. position.

"The fact that he (Witkoff) was appointed by the U.S. administration to negotiate with Russia indicates that such an opinion may be widespread among the country's leadership. But the official position is reflected only in official documents," Yurchyshyn told the Kyiv Independent.

On March 24, U.S. Vice President JD Vance hit back at the growing criticism of Witkoff, insisting he is doing an "incredible job."

Trump's efforts to get Moscow and Kyiv to the negotiating table seemed to have gained some momentum after his calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelensky last week.

After his talk with the U.S. president, Putin claimed he had ordered a 30-day pause on strikes against energy facilities while rejecting a broader truce agreed upon by Kyiv and Washington on March 11.

Ukraine supported the partial truce on energy strikes but accused Russia of continued attacks against civilian infrastructure.

The U.S. is leading separate talks with Ukrainian and Russian delegates in Riyadh to flesh out technical aspects of the partial ceasefire, with the possibility of expanding it to naval operations.

Black Sea Initiative renewal central to US-Russia talks in Riyadh, Kremlin says

“The matter of the Black Sea Initiative and everything related to the initiative’s renewal are on the agenda today,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said. He added that Russian President Vladimir Putin would be immediately briefed on the results of the consultations.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy