Putin offers deal to halt invasion in exchange for Crimea recognition
Vladimir Putin reportedly offered Americans a halt to the invasion of Ukraine at the current front line, according to the "Financial Times," citing individuals familiar with negotiations conducted by representatives of Donald Trump with the Russians. In return, the Americans proposed recognizing the annexation of Crimea.
During a meeting with Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, in St. Petersburg in early April, Putin reportedly suggested stopping the invasion at the current front line, the "Financial Times" reported.
According to the newspaper's sources, Moscow also indicated it might give up claims to those parts of Ukraine's territories still under Kyiv's control.
It's worth recalling that Russia illegally annexed the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions through a referendum and is demanding that Ukraine cede these territories. At the same time, Moscow does not have full control over them.
As noted by the "FT," this marks the first time Putin has shown a willingness to forgo his maximalist demands for ending the invasion.
Following Putin's proposal, the Americans began outlining their ideas for a possible settlement. This includes recognizing the annexation of Crimea and, at the very least, acknowledging Kremlin control over the occupied regions of Ukraine.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told the newspaper that intensive work is currently underway on the agreement. He explained that negotiations with the American side are ongoing, describing the process as complex and time-consuming. According to him, immediate results are unlikely, and the discussions cannot be conducted publicly.
European officials are not pleased with this development. They told the "FT" that, in their opinion, Putin might use the apparent concession to lure Trump into accepting other Russian demands.
According to one of the "Financial Times" sources, Kyiv is facing significant pressure to make certain concessions, allowing Trump to present the outcome as a personal victory.
The Ukrainians are set to meet on Wednesday in London with representatives from Europe and the USA to discuss the proposals for ending the conflict. However, neither Witkoff nor Secretary of State Marco Rubio will be attending the talks. Trump's representative for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, will be present.
Senior Ukrainian officials told the "FT" that they are open to considering some of the ideas presented by Trump and his team, though they did not specify which ones.
It is understood that the US proposals for Ukraine include the deployment of a European peacekeeping contingent in the country, as well as separate military forces from outside NATO to help monitor the ceasefire along a demilitarized zone spanning over a 620-mile front line.
According to the potential agreement, Ukraine would commit not to forcibly retake the territory occupied by Russia, while Russia would agree to stop the advance of its army.
