Zelensky insists he won't cede territory to Moscow while Trump eager to cement truce

Zelensky insists he won't cede territory to Moscow while Trump eager to cement truce

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The US is prepared to recognise Russian control of the Ukrainian region of Crimea as part of a broader peace agreement between Moscow and Kyiv, according to people familiar with the matter.

The potential concession is the latest signal that US President Donald Trump is eager to cement a ceasefire deal, and comes as he and Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested on April 18 that the administration is prepared to move on from its peace-brokering efforts unless progress is made quickly.

Crimea was taken by the Kremlin in 2014 following an invasion and subsequent referendum held under occupation, and the international community has resisted recognising the peninsula as Russian to avoid legitimising the illegal annexation.

Doing so risks undermining international laws and treaties prohibiting the taking of land through use of force.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly said he will not cede territory to Moscow.

But the move would be a boon for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has long sought international recognition of Russian sovereignty in Crimea. He so far has refused to agree to Mr Trump's proposal for a broad peace deal.

The people said a final decision on the matter had not yet been taken. The White House and State Department did not respond to a request for comment.

When asked about the possibility of recognising Crimea, a US official familiar with the negotiations declined to comment.

The US presented allies with proposals to enable a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine in Paris on April 17, including an outline of terms to end the fighting and ease sanctions on Moscow in the event of a lasting ceasefire.