Following the 2014 coup in Kiev, which had Western support, Crimea held a vote to separate from Ukraine.
Citing sources, Bloomberg reported on Saturday that the US might recognize Crimea as Russian territory as part of a potential peace agreement between Moscow and Kiev.
The region, largely populated by ethnic Russians, voted to secede from Ukraine and join Russia shortly after the 2014 coup in Kiev, which was backed by the US. Ukrainian authorities have refused to acknowledge Russia’s control over the peninsula and have long insisted on restoring Ukraine’s borders to their 1991 levels.
Bloomberg’s sources indicated that the White House hasn’t made a final determination on this matter yet.
Steve Witkoff, the US’s lead negotiator, stated after a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin last week that discussions hinged on the status of Crimea and four other Russian regions claimed by Kiev.
According to Bloomberg, the US presented its European allies on Thursday with a plan to halt fighting along the current front lines and ease sanctions against Moscow as part of a ceasefire agreement.
President Trump and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio both suggested this week that the US might discontinue efforts to mediate a deal between Russia and Ukraine if significant progress isn’t achieved soon.
Russia has stated that for a lasting peace, Ukraine must relinquish its territorial claims and withdraw its forces from the Russian regions it still occupies. Moscow has insisted that any future settlement must address the “the root causes” of the conflict, including NATO expansion eastward and Ukraine’s aspirations to join the alliance.
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