The United States is said to be willing to accept Russia's assertion over Crimea as part of a broad peace agreement between Kyiv and Moscow, sources with information on the negotiations say.
This possible change reflects an increasing eagerness on the part of President Donald Trump to achieve a ceasefire deal. Both Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio signaled on Friday that the administration is poised to back away from its mediation efforts if there's no quick progress in negotiations.
Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 following a military intervention and a disputed referendum conducted under occupation. Many of the world's nations have since then declined to recognize the annexation, saying it would be endorsing an illegal takeover of land.
Declaring Crimea to be Russian would threaten settled global norms, specifically those that prohibit the use of military power for the purpose of territorial expansion. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has repeatedly stated that Ukraine will never give up any portion of its territory to Russia.
Such endorsement would be a significant diplomatic victory for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has consistently advocated for global acceptance of Russia's sovereignty over Crimea. Nevertheless, he has thus far refused to embrace Trump's offer for an overall peace plan.
Sources close to the matter underscored that no final decision has been reached. The White House and the State Department did not comment when contacted. In the meantime, an American official who participated in the negotiations declined to reveal details when asked whether the United States would recognize Crimea.
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