Zelensky: Ukraine has not received any official proposals to give up the territories. Kyiv does not recognize Russiaʼs annexation of Crimea

Ukraine has not received any official offers to exchange or give up the territories. Kyiv does not legally recognize Russiaʼs annexation of Crimea.

Volodymyr Zelensky said this at a briefing on April 22.

"There is nothing to talk about — this is outside the boundaries of our Constitution. This is our territory, the territory of the people of Ukraine… This will not happen," he said regarding the issue of temporarily occupied Crimea and other territories.

Regarding media reports about the proposal to recognize Crimea as Russian, the president said that "these are signals, these are ideas, these are visions, you can call it in different ways. But this is not an official proposal to Ukraine".

Zelensky said he didnʼt know exactly whose proposals these were. Maybe it was the US vision, or maybe it was something the Americans understood after talking to Putin.

However, the Ukrainian delegation at the meeting in London has a mandate to discuss a partial or full ceasefire. Ukraine is also ready to record that after the ceasefire it is ready for negotiations in any format. Because then there will be a vision that the Russian Federation is ready for serious steps.

Shortly before Zelenskyʼs briefing, WP wrote that the US would propose recognizing Crimea as Russian and freezing the front line during a meeting in London on April 23.

Ceasefire negotiations

Washington is negotiating with Russia and Ukraine to end the war, but a true ceasefire is still in sight. Kyiv has already agreed to halt hostilities in the Black Sea and not attack Russian energy facilities during a 30-day ceasefire. Moscow, in return, has only promised not to attack energy facilities and said it would implement the Black Sea agreements only after Western sanctions are lifted.

The New York Post reported on April 19 that the US wants to agree on the terms of a full and comprehensive ceasefire in London next week, followed by talks with Moscow. According to the publication, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov told US officials that Kyiv “90% supports” President Trump’s peace plan, which US officials presented to him during meetings in Paris.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense later denied that Kyiv had "90% agreed" with the US peace plan.

According to Bloomberg, the American side in Paris presented to the allies a proposal for a settlement in Ukraine, which includes conditions for a cessation of hostilities and easing of sanctions against Russia. This proposal would effectively freeze the war, and the Ukrainian territories currently occupied by Russia would remain under Moscowʼs control, the publicationʼs sources said.

Marco Rubio said after meeting with allies in Paris that the United States could end its mediation efforts in Ukraine in a matter of days if it does not see clear signs of a peace deal. Trump confirmed his words the same day.

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