US may 'recognize' Crimea as Russian: Bloomberg reveals details
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin (Archive photo: Getty Images)
The US is reportedly prepared to recognize Russia's "control" over the occupied Ukrainian Crimea as part of a potential broader peace agreement between Moscow and Kyiv, according to Bloomberg.
Sources familiar with the matter told the Western outlet about this possibility.
According to Bloomberg, this potential concession by Washington is the latest signal that US President Donald Trump is seeking to secure a ceasefire agreement.
In particular, this followed comments by President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on April 18, suggesting that the administration might withdraw from its peace mediation efforts if swift progress is not achieved.
The potential recognition of Crimea as Russian risks undermining international laws and treaties that explicitly prohibit territorial acquisition by force and annexation. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly emphasized that the country will not cede any of its territory to Russia.
According to Bloomberg's sources, the Trump administration has not yet made a final decision on the matter. The White House and the State Department did not respond to the outlet’s request for comment. Additionally, a US representative familiar with the negotiations also declined to answer questions about the possibility of recognizing Crimea.
Peace proposals at the Paris negotiations
Earlier, the Western press reported that the US had presented its allies with proposals for a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine during a meeting in Paris on April 17. These proposals included outlining the terms for a ceasefire and the easing of sanctions against Moscow in the event of a sustained cessation of hostilities.
Officials told Western media that the proposal would essentially freeze the current front line, meaning that most of the Ukrainian territories currently under Russian occupation would remain under Moscow’s de facto control.
It was also noted that Ukraine’s aspirations to join NATO would not be considered as part of the agreement.
The Paris negotiations reportedly included a meeting between French President Emmanuel Macron and US representative Steve Witkoff, as well as discussions between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and national security advisers and negotiators from France, Germany, the UK, and Ukraine.
The allies are expected to reconvene in London next week to continue the talks.
New statements by Trump about a truce between Russia and Ukraine
At the same time, on April 19, during a meeting in the Oval Office at the White House, President Trump expressed impatience, stating that while he hopes both sides will agree to move forward on a ceasefire, Washington is prepared to withdraw from efforts to end the Russia–Ukraine war if it feels that either party is not genuinely committed to the process.
On the other hand, Trump also stated at the White House that he had seen enthusiasm from both sides, and made a fresh statement about the prospects for peace in Ukraine.
