Putin is ready to abandon his previous conditions for control over four regions of Ukraine. These are Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions. However, Moscow has other demands on the United States.
This is reported by FT, citing sources.
The publication notes: Putin told Trumpʼs special representative Steve Witkoff in early April about the idea that Russia is allegedly ready to give up control over the unoccupied parts of four regions of Ukraine. The point is that Putin is allegedly proposing to stop fighting on the current front line.
Russia is allegedly ready to make such "concessions" if the US makes broader geopolitical concessions to Moscow, such as recognizing Russian control over Crimea and prohibiting Ukraine from joining NATO.
The FT writes that this proposal is the first official indication from Putin in three years of full-scale war that Russia can back down from its maximalist demands and stop the invasion.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov commented on this FT publication.
"There is a lot of fake information being published now, including in reputable publications, so you should only listen to primary sources," he said in comments to one of the propaganda Russian media outlets.
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 United States 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 American officials that Kyiv “90% supports” President Trump’s peace plan. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry later denied that Kyiv “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 the cessation of hostilities and the easing of sanctions against the Russian Federation. This proposal will effectively freeze the war, and the Ukrainian territories currently occupied by Russia will remain under Moscowʼs control, the publicationʼs sources say. Various foreign media also wrote that the United States will propose recognizing Crimea as Russian.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded to these media reports about the alleged American plan on April 22. According to him, Ukraine had not received any official proposals to give up the territories. Kyiv does not legally recognize Russiaʼs annexation of Crimea. This is outside the Ukrainian Constitution. Before that, on April 17, he said that Ukraine was discussing a ceasefire with the US, but without the issue of territories. Zelensky constantly notes that Ukraine will not recognize any of its occupied territories as Russian — these are red lines.
- 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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