To achieve a peace treaty between Moscow and kyiv, the US government could recognize Russia's control over Crimea. How is Ukraine reacting to this measure? What do experts think?
ConflictsUkraine
The danger of recognizing the annexation of Crimea
Dmytro Kaniewski
21 hours ago
To achieve a peace treaty between Moscow and kyiv, the US government could recognize Russia's control over Crimea. How is Ukraine reacting to this measure? What do experts think?
Celebrations in Moscow in 2004 to mark the tenth anniversary of Russia's annexation of Crimea. Image: Yuri Gripas/picture alliance/abac
The United States has reportedly sent its European allies a confidential document containing proposals for a ceasefire in Russia’s war with Ukraine. One of the key points is said to be recognition of Russian control over the Crimean peninsula, which Moscow annexed in 2014. This was initially reported by Bloomberg, the US news network CNN, the influential Washington Post and the business daily The Wall Street Journal.
According to these reports, the Americans had expected a response from Ukraine by April 23. However, a meeting of senior diplomats in London was reduced to a consultative level at short notice after representatives from Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and Ukraine canceled their participation. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also remained on the sidelines. Until then, US President Donald Trump declined to confirm or deny reports of a possible recognition of Crimea as Russian territory.
How does Ukraine react?
In the more than eleven years since the annexation in violation of international law, the issue of Crimea has been a recurring topic in the media. This time, however,
Official Kyiv was in no hurry to comment on the reports. One of the first to react was Crimean Tatar representative Refat Chubarov. Speaking to Radio Liberty, he said the Trump administration was merely testing the Ukrainian leadership with its messages about territorial concessions, without which the war would supposedly never end and a lasting peace could not be achieved.
Shortly after, the Ukrainian president's office also responded. kyiv had not discussed recognizing Crimea as part of Russia during talks with the US and did not agree to it, presidential adviser Sergei Leshchenko told Ukrainian television.
