U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to allow Russia to retain control over seized Ukrainian territory is "set in stone," the Times reported on April 25, but flexibility remains about recognizing Russia’s annexation of Crimea.
Trump, who briefly met Zelensky during Pope Francis's funeral in the Vatican on April 26, believes the Ukrainian leader "really has no choice" but to agree to the terms, according to the Times' source close to U.S Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. Trump is reportedly threatening to withdraw from the peace talks next week unless a deal is reached.
A day before, Witkoff held a three-hour meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin discussing the possibility of direct negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv. Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov described the conversation as "constructive and useful."
Under the U.S. proposal, presented by Witkoff to Moscow and Kyiv, Washington would reportedly offer formal recognition of Russia’s control over Crimea, annexed in 2014, and de facto recognition of Russian-occupied areas in southern and eastern Ukraine seized since 2022.
The Times reported that Trump remains flexible on formally recognizing Crimea at this stage and is not pressuring Zelensky "to sign away Ukrainian sovereignty."
"Trump’s view is that this land has been seized and it is not going back," the source told the Times. "The deal on the table is that the Russian-occupied territory is going to remain occupied. That part is set in stone."
The U.S. administration reportedly believes that rejecting the deal would leave Ukraine isolated, relying heavily on European funding and weaponry as the war continues.
Ukrainian officials, meanwhile, have reiterated that their constitution forbids ceding Crimea and that no peace deal involving territorial concessions is acceptable. Zelensky and Ukrainian policy makers, including Deputy Foreign Minister Mariana Betsa, have vowed to continue efforts to reclaim all occupied territory.
"We’ll never recognise the attempted annexation by Russia," Betsa told Times Radio.
Earlier this week, Ukraine and its European allies reportedly shared a proposal with the U.S. calling for robust security guarantees, a full and unconditional ceasefire, and no discussion of territorial concessions before a truce is established.
Volodymyr Ivanyshyn
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