European countries will not recognize Crimea as Russian territory, even if the United States does, because it threatens to destroy the rules-based order that has underpinned peace on the continent for decades.
This is reported by the Financial Times, citing sources.
European capitals will not support any US move to recognize Crimea as Russian and will not pressure Kyiv to agree to such conditions. Senior EU officials have identified Crimeaʼs legal status and Ukraineʼs aspirations for NATO as their red lines.
The largest European powers that are members of NATO need to prevent Washington from unilaterally recognizing Crimea as Russian, as this would reward Russiaʼs aggression, encourage it to assert its claims in Georgia and Moldova, and increase the threat to other post-Soviet countries, including Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, which are members of NATO and the EU.
The status of Crimea could create a major diplomatic crisis for NATO. The Allianceʼs current position is to never recognize Russian control over the peninsula. The possibility that the United States will abandon negotiations, blame Kyiv for this and normalize relations with Moscow could lead to conflict among NATO leaders.
If this development of events occurs, conflicts will spread within the EU, in particular regarding what to do with sanctions against Russia if Washington lifts its own.
"Things are looking very bad," the EU official said, adding that any move by the US to recognize Crimea as Russia or demand that European capitals ease sanctions against Moscow "will kill EU unity".
European countries, which are members of both the EU and NATO, are currently trying to reach an agreement with Donald Trumpʼs team on future cooperation in the areas of security and trade. They want to avoid a major tariff war that could severely damage their economies. There are fears that the US could use the issue as a means of pressure during the negotiations.
Now, Europeans no longer expect to be included in negotiations to resolve the war in Ukraine. Hopes were finally dashed when US Secretary of State Marco Rubio canceled a meeting in London with Ukrainian and European officials, and Trumpʼs special representative Steve Witkoff decided instead to go to Putin for the fourth time.
The Trump administration presented a deal to Kyiv with terms that were very favorable to Moscow, including US recognition of Russian sovereignty over Crimea (which violates agreed NATO policy) and a ban on Ukraine’s membership in NATO. Ukraine was offered little in exchange for giving up its territory.
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 truce. 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.
- It was expected that Washington would propose recognizing illegally annexed Crimea as part of the Russian Federation and freezing the front line as part of a peace agreement as early as April 23, as reported by The Washington Post.
- Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine has not received any official proposals for the exchange or relinquishment of territories, and Kyiv does not legally recognize Russiaʼs annexation of Crimea.
- Trump criticized Zelensky for his statement that Ukraine does not legally recognize Crimea as Russian. The American president is convinced that this statement is "very damaging to peace negotiations with Russia" and that Crimea "was lost during the presidency of Barack Obama".
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