Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, has firmly rejected a proposed peace deal that would see Ukraine officially concede Crimea to Russia in exchange for freezing the frontline of the ongoing war.
The United States reportedly included the controversial term in a seven-point peace plan, part of a broader settlement proposal aimed at ending the conflict. The plan is expected to be discussed in London today during high-level talks involving UK, US, and EU officials.
Zelensky, however, didn’t mince words.
“There is nothing to talk about,” he said. “This violates our Constitution. Crimea is our territory—the territory of the people of Ukraine.”
That stance places Ukraine in direct opposition to the US-led proposal, which suggests recognising Crimea as Russian in exchange for President Vladimir Putin halting his invasion and withdrawing claims to four partially occupied Ukrainian regions.
According to The Telegraph, the plan contains no firm US security guarantees for Ukraine, and its inclusion of Crimea appears to be based on Putin’s recent overtures during a private meeting with Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff.
The proposal reportedly follows Putin’s suggestion to freeze the current frontlines—a move seen as his first significant softening of war demands. But Zelensky remains sceptical.
“As soon as talks about Crimea and our sovereign territories begin, negotiations enter the format Russia wants—prolonging the war. Because it will be impossible to agree on everything quickly,” Zelensky warned. “We know where these signals are coming from, and they will keep coming.”
It’s still unclear whether the idea to include Crimea in the peace plan came from Russia or the US side.
European officials briefed on the situation have also voiced concerns, warning that Putin could exploit the compromise to manipulate future negotiations.
“There is a lot of pressure on Kyiv right now to give up on things so Trump can claim victory,” one official told the Financial Times.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces continue daily resistance against Russian attacks, even as drone strikes and shelling devastate cities like Kharkiv and Pokrovsk.
UK Defence Secretary, John Healey confirmed that today’s meeting in London will focus on what a long-term ceasefire might look like, following up on previous discussions in Paris. The controversial seven-point plan is expected to be a central topic.
Originally planned for foreign ministers, the meeting was downgraded after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio dropped out. General Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy on Ukraine and Russia, will represent the US.
Back in Moscow, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov downplayed expectations for a quick resolution, telling Russian state TV: “It is not worth setting rigid deadlines or expecting a viable settlement in a short time.”
