Thursday, April 24, 2025 - Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr
Zelensky, has firmly rejected a proposed peace deal that would see Ukraine
officially concede Crimea to Russia in exchange for freezing the frontline of
the ongoing war.
The United States reportedly included the controversial term
in a seven-point peace plan, part of a broader settlement proposal aimed at
ending the conflict. The plan is expected to be discussed in London today
during high-level talks involving UK, US, and EU officials.
Zelensky, however, didn’t mince words.
“There is
nothing to talk about,” he said. “This violates our Constitution. Crimea is our
territory—the territory of the people of Ukraine.”
That stance places Ukraine in direct opposition to the
US-led proposal, which suggests recognising Crimea as Russian in exchange for
President Vladimir Putin halting his invasion and withdrawing claims to four
partially occupied Ukrainian regions.
According to The Telegraph, the plan contains no firm US
security guarantees for Ukraine, and its inclusion of Crimea appears to be
based on Putin’s recent overtures during a private meeting with Trump’s envoy,
Steve Witkoff.
The proposal reportedly follows Putin’s suggestion to freeze
the current frontlines—a move seen as his first significant softening of war
demands. But Zelensky remains sceptical.
“As soon as
talks about Crimea and our sovereign territories begin, negotiations enter the
format Russia wants—prolonging the war. Because it will be impossible to agree
on everything quickly,” Zelensky warned. “We know where these signals are
coming from, and they will keep coming.”
It’s still unclear whether the idea to include Crimea in the
peace plan came from Russia or the US side.
European officials briefed on the situation have also voiced
concerns, warning that Putin could exploit the compromise to manipulate future
negotiations.
“There is a
lot of pressure on Kyiv right now to give up on things so Trump can claim
victory,” one official told the Financial Times.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces continue daily resistance
against Russian attacks, even as drone strikes and shelling devastate cities
like Kharkiv and Pokrovsk.
UK Defence Secretary, John Healey confirmed that today’s meeting in London
will focus on what a long-term ceasefire might look like, following up on
previous discussions in Paris. The controversial seven-point plan is expected
to be a central topic.
Originally planned for foreign ministers, the meeting was downgraded after
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio dropped out. General Keith Kellogg, Trump’s
special envoy on Ukraine and Russia, will represent the US.
Back in Moscow, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov downplayed expectations
for a quick resolution, telling Russian state TV: “It is not worth setting
rigid deadlines or expecting a viable settlement in a short time.”
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