U.S. President Donald Trump said on April 23 he believes a deal between Russia and Ukraine to end Russia’s war has been reached.

“I think we have a deal with both, I hope they do it,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

Trump has repeatedly proposed brokering a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia with concessions Kyiv has not put on the table. The U.S. is reportedly weighing recognizing Russian control of Crimea.

Trump noted President Volodymyr Zelensky has been “harder” to deal with, but that “it’s all right."

“I thought it might be easier to deal with Zelensky. So far it’s been harder,” Trump claimed.

Trump said the U.S. has reached a deal with Russia and must reach a deal with Ukraine, despite in the same address claiming he thinks the U.S. has a “deal with both."

“I think we have a deal with Russia. We have to get a deal with Zelensky,” Trump said.

Earlier on April 23, U.S. Vice President JD Vance said that the U.S. presented a “very explicit proposal” to Ukraine and Russia on a peace deal.

Vance repeated warnings that the U.S. might drop its peace efforts if both sides refuse to settle a peace deal. White House officials have warned that Washington would abandon the peace efforts if a deal is not reached soon.

Moscow has shown signs it is unwilling to move forward on a peace deal with Ukraine. Russian authorities have listed maximalist demands in ceasefire negotiations with Ukraine and the U.S.

Ukraine has already agreed to a U.S.-proposed full 30-day ceasefire, saying on March 11 that Kyiv is ready if Russia also agrees to the terms. So far, Moscow has refused.

On April 23, Zelensky reaffirmed that Ukraine insists on an “immediate, full, and unconditional ceasefire."

“That was the proposal put forward by the United States on March 11 of this year — and it was absolutely reasonable,” Zelensky said.

Ukraine war latest: US expects territorial concessions from Russia, Ukraine in potential peace deal

Key developments on April 23: * US expects territorial concessions from Russia, Ukraine in potential peace deal * Ukraine insists on unconditional ceasefire at London peace talks * Trump says ‘nobody is asking’ Ukraine to recognize Crimea as Russian * ‘Groundless accusations, political manipulations’ — China reacts to Ukraine summoning its envoy * Ukrainian drone strike

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

Editor’s Note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

A round of explosions occurred in Kyiv around 1:00 a.m. local time on April 24, according to a Kyiv Independent journalist on the ground.

Air defenses are in operation, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said in a post to Telegram.

Fallen debris has been found, Kyiv’s military head Tymur Tkachenko reported.

Russia has regularly targeted civilian infrastructure since the onset of its full-scale war against Ukraine in February 2022.

The U.S. has been in talks with Ukraine and Russia to negotiate an end to Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Ukraine has already agreed to a U.S.-proposed full 30-day ceasefire, saying on March 11 that Kyiv is ready if Russia also agrees to the terms. So far, Moscow has refused.

If Trump recognizes Crimea, the biggest losers are Ukraine — and the US, experts say

Formally recognizing Crimea as Russian would breach international law and potentially open the door to further global conflicts, experts warn.

The Kyiv IndependentNatalia Yermak

U.S. Special Envoy Keith Kellogg called for a peace deal to end Russia’s war against Ukraine on April 23, following his participation in a London meeting on Ukraine.

“It’s time to move forward on (U.S.) President (Donald) Trump’s (Ukraine-Russia) war directive: stop the killing, achieve peace, and put America First,” Kellogg said in a post to social media.

The London meeting comes as the U.S. intensifies efforts to broker a deal between Ukraine and Russia, following failed efforts to reach a ceasefire. White House officials have repeatedly warned that Washington would abandon the peace efforts if a deal is not reached soon.

Kellogg noted the talks in London with Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak were “positive."

The meeting was originally meant to be a ministerial-level summit involving the U.S., U.K., Germany, France, and Ukraine. The gathering was notably downgraded when U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff declined to participate.

Earlier on April 23, U.S. Vice President JD Vance said that the U.S. presented a “very explicit proposal” to Ukraine and Russia on a peace deal.

Vance repeated warnings that the U.S. might drop its peace efforts if both sides refuse to settle a peace deal.

The U.S. is reportedly considering recognizing Moscow’s illegal occupation of Crimea as part of a peace deal, despite Russia’s annexation violating international law.

Zelensky has said Ukraine will not legally recognize Crimea as Russian territory.

Moscow has shown signs it is unwilling to move forward on a peace deal with Ukraine. Russian authorities have listed maximalist demands in ceasefire negotiations with Ukraine and the U.S.

Ukraine has already agreed to a U.S.-proposed full 30-day ceasefire, saying on March 11 that Kyiv is ready if Russia also agrees to the terms. So far, Moscow has refused.

Ukraine has no great options if Trump recognizes Crimea as Russian

Ukraine is facing a crossroads in its fight against Russia’s full-scale invasion, with the possibility of being forced to reject an unfavorable peace deal being imposed under huge pressure from the U.S.

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

The mechanized brigade is slated to receive a new—and finally official—insignia.

Source

President Volodymyr Zelensky is “moving in the wrong direction” in peace talks to bring an end to Russia’s war against Ukraine, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on April 23.

"(U)nfortunately, President Zelensky seems to be moving in the wrong direction," Leavitt said to reporters outside the White House.

Earlier in the day, U.S. President Donald Trump claimed, “Nobody is asking Zelensky to recognize Crimea as Russian territory, but if he wants Crimea, why didn’t (Ukraine) fight for it eleven years ago,” amid reports that the U.S. could recognize Crimea as Russian in a potential peace deal.

Leavitt repeated Trump’s earlier remarks, noting Ukraine would not be asked to recognize Crimea as Russian.

“Well as President Trump rightfully pointed out in that statement, it was (former U.S.) President (Barack) Obama, who gave up Crimea, who allowed Russia to take it over in 2014, and so the president is not asking Ukraine to recognize Crimea, nobody has asked them to do that,” she said.

The press secretary noted that Trump wants Ukraine and Russia to both make concessions and bring an end to Russia’s war against Ukraine.

“What he is asking is for people to come to the negotiating table recognizing that this has been a brutal war for far too long, and in order to make a good deal, both sides have to walk away a little bit unhappy,” Leavitt said.

Leavitt slammed Zelensky for speaking to the media, claiming that the negotiations should be private.

Zelensky has said Ukraine will not legally recognize Crimea as Russian territory, as the U.S. weighs recognizing Moscow’s illegal occupation despite Russia’s annexation violating international law.

"(U)nfortunately President Zelensky has been trying to litigate this peace negotiation in the press and that’s unacceptable to (Trump), these should be closed door negotiations, the president’s national security team, his adviserss have exuded significant time energy and effort to try to bring this war to an end," Leavitt said.

Earlier on April 23, U.S. Vice President JD Vance said that the U.S. presented a “very explicit proposal” to Ukraine and Russia on a peace deal. Vance repeated warnings that the U.S. might drop its peace efforts if both sides refuse.

Ukraine war latest: US expects territorial concessions from Russia, Ukraine in potential peace deal

Key developments on April 23: * US expects territorial concessions from Russia, Ukraine in potential peace deal * Ukraine insists on unconditional ceasefire at London peace talks * Trump says ‘nobody is asking’ Ukraine to recognize Crimea as Russian * ‘Groundless accusations, political manipulations’ — China reacts to Ukraine summoning its envoy * Ukrainian drone strike

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

Key developments on April 23:

• US expects territorial concessions from Russia, Ukraine in potential peace deal
• Ukraine insists on unconditional ceasefire at London peace talks
• Trump says ‘nobody is asking’ Ukraine to recognize Crimea as Russian
• ‘Groundless accusations, political manipulations’ — China reacts to Ukraine summoning its envoy
• Ukrainian drone strike hits Russian drone factory over 1,000 kilometers from border, military claims

U.S. Vice President JD Vance said on April 23 that the U.S. presented a “very explicit proposal” to Russia and Ukraine on a peace deal, repeating warnings Washington might drop its peace effort if the belligerent sides refuse.

Talking to journalists during a visit to India, Vance said that it is time for Kyiv and Moscow “to either say yes or for the United States to walk away from this process."

“We have engaged in an extraordinary amount of diplomacy and on-the-ground work. We really tried to understand things from the perspectives of both Ukrainians and Russians,” he said. “I think that we put together a very fair proposal."

Vance added that “it’s now time to take, if not the final step, one of the final steps”— with all parties agreeing to stop the fighting, freeze territorial lines “at some level close to where they are,” and pursue a long-term diplomatic settlement.

The U.S. vice president also said that the two sides would have to give up some of the territory they control. Vance noted that eventual borders may not exactly follow the current front line but stressed it is currently necessary to lay down arms and “freeze” the war.

Following Vance’s remarks, a spokesperson for Downing Street told AFP on April 23: “We support U.S.-led efforts to bring about a lasting end to the war. I think that is what we all want. Ultimately, it must be for Ukraine to decide its future."

The comments follow reporting that the U.S. is ready to recognize Russia’s de jure control over Crimea and de facto control over occupied territories in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts as part of a peace deal.

Moscow occupies roughly 20% of Ukraine’s sovereign territory. This includes Crimea and parts of the Donbas region occupied in 2014, and additional territories taken after the start of the full-scale war in 2022.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected the possibility of recognizing Russian hold over Crimea.

U.S. President Donald Trump has said his country will abandon the ceasefire effort in the coming days unless progress is made.

Earlier, a source close to French President Emmanuel Macron told AFP that “respect for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and its European aspirations are very strong demands of the Europeans."

The source added that while French, British, and German officials were meeting with American and Ukrainian envoys in London for ceasefire talks, “the objective remains to build a common approach that the United States could present to the Russians."

Trump’s reported ‘final’ peace plan includes accepting Russian occupation, few benefits for Ukraine

The U.S. reportedly presented its peace proposal last week during a meeting with Ukrainian officials in Paris.

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova

Ukraine insists on unconditional ceasefire at London peace talks

A Ukrainian delegation met with European officials and U.S. Special Envoy Keith Kellogg in London on April 23 to continue discussions on a possible path to peace, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said in a statement on X.

“During our meeting with U.S. Special Envoy General Keith Kellogg, we had a constructive exchange of views on the path to peace,” Sybiha wrote. “Ukraine wants the war to end more than anyone else in the world. We are committed to working together to achieve this goal."

The London meeting, originally intended as a ministerial-level summit involving the U.S., U.K., Germany, France, and Ukraine, was notably downgraded after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff declined to participate.

According to Reuters, Rubio pulled out after Ukraine submitted a document to European partners on April 22 declaring it would not enter talks on territorial issues until Russia agrees to a “full and unconditional ceasefire."

Following the meetings in London, Ukrainian Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak reiterated Kyiv’s position, saying, “An immediate, complete and unconditional ceasefire should be the first step towards the start of negotiations on achieving a just and lasting peace."

Yermak also emphasized that Ukraine would defend its “principled positions,” which form the basis of its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Despite the absence of Rubio and Witkoff, the U.K. Foreign Ministry said “significant progress was made on reaching a common position,” and that all parties reaffirmed support for U.S. President Donald Trump’s stated commitment to achieving a just and lasting peace.

The meeting followed a summit in Paris on April 17, where senior Trump administration officials outlined a controversial peace proposal to Ukrainian and European delegates.

The plan reportedly includes recognition of Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and a ban on Ukraine’s NATO membership — two central demands by the Kremlin.

Ukraine has no great options if Trump recognizes Crimea as Russian

Ukraine is facing a crossroads in its fight against Russia’s full-scale invasion, with the possibility of being forced to reject an unfavorable peace deal being imposed under huge pressure from the U.S.

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

Trump says ‘nobody is asking’ Ukraine to recognize Crimea as Russian

President Donald Trump claimed in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, that the U.S. is not forcing Ukraine to recognize Crimea as Russian, following reports that a U.S. peace plan includes the U.S. formally recognizing Moscow’s illegal annexation of Crimea.

“Nobody is asking (President Volodymyr) Zelensky to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory, but if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?” Trump wrote on April 23.

Trump’s remarks come one day after President Volodymyr Zelensky reaffirmed that Ukraine would never legally recognize Russia’s control of Crimea.

“There is nothing to talk about. This violates our Constitution. This is our territory, the territory of the people of Ukraine,” Zelensky said at a briefing in Kyiv on April 22.

In response, Trump called Zelensky’s position “harmful to the peace negotiations with Russia,” claiming that Crimea “was lost years ago under the auspices of President Barack Hussein Obama, and is not even a point of discussion."

The claim that Crimea was taken without force is false. During Russia’s 2014 annexation, armed Russian troops in unmarked uniforms seized Ukrainian government buildings, military installations, and blockaded bases.

At least one Ukrainian serviceman was killed, and dozens were detained or assaulted. The operation, widely condemned by the international community, violated international law.

Trump also argued that “even before the annexation of Crimea, major Russian submarine bases” were present there, and accused Zelensky of inflaming tensions with rhetoric that complicates peace efforts.

“He can have peace, or he can fight for another three years before losing the whole country,” Trump wrote. “I have nothing to do with Russia, but have much to do with wanting to save, on average, five thousand Russian and Ukrainian soldiers a week, who are dying for no reason whatsoever."

Despite expressing frustration over Russia’s refusal to de-escalate the war, the U.S. president has so far avoided imposing any major sanctions or taking punitive action against Moscow for its invasion.

While Trump appeared to frame the proposal as something Ukraine could reject, he notably did not deny that the U.S. might move forward with formally recognizing Crimea as Russian territory, something Russia had wanted for years.

Recognition of the annexation would contradict a decade of bipartisan U.S. policy and a 2014 United Nations General Assembly resolution, in which 100 member states declared the seizure illegal.

On April 22, Refat Chubarov, chairman of the Mejlis, the representative body of the indigenous Crimean Tatar people, firmly rejected any international recognition of Crimea as Russian territory.

“Crimea is the homeland of the indigenous Crimean Tatar people and an integral part of Ukraine,” Chubarov wrote. “Accordingly, no one can decide the fate of Crimea under any circumstances, except for the Ukrainian state and the Crimean Tatar people."

Since 2014, Moscow has used intimidation, religious profiling, and politically motivated terrorism charges to suppress dissent among Crimean Tatars. The Mejlis' stance, Chubarov said, is grounded in international law and fully aligned with the Ukrainian Constitution.

If Trump recognizes Crimea, the biggest losers are Ukraine — and the US, experts say

Formally recognizing Crimea as Russian would breach international law and potentially open the door to further global conflicts, experts warn.

The Kyiv IndependentNatalia Yermak

‘Groundless accusations, political manipulations’ — China reacts to Ukraine summoning its envoy

China’s Foreign Ministry on April 23 accused Ukraine of making “groundless” accusations after the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry summoned a Chinese ambassador to present evidence of Chinese involvement in Russia’s war.

A day earlier, Chinese Ambassador to Ukraine Ma Shengkun was invited to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry to meet with Deputy Foreign Minister Yevhen Perebyinis.

Perebyinis presented the Chinese ambassador with evidence of Chinese citizens' participation in hostilities against Ukraine on Russia’s side and the involvement of Chinese companies in the production of military products in Russia.

The evidence was also passed on to the Chinese side by the Ukrainian security services.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry called Ukraine’s recent statements “groundless” and “political manipulations."

“We have clarified China’s position on the relevant issues. China strongly opposes groundless accusations and political manipulations,” Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said during a press briefing.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on April 17 that China is supplying weapons to Russia, marking Kyiv’s first confirmation that Beijing supports Russia’s war effort by direct military aid. Iran and North Korea are two other allies of Moscow that supply Russia with arms.

Though Beijing has long denied supplying arms, multiple reports have suggested otherwise. In summer 2024, Zelensky said China had assured Ukraine it would not deliver weapons to Russia.

While officially claiming neutrality, Beijing has deepened economic ties with Moscow, supported Russia against Western sanctions, and emerged as a top supplier of dual-use goods that feed the Russian defense sector.

Earlier this month, Ukrainian forces captured two Chinese nationals fighting for Russia in Donetsk Oblast. Zelensky later said that “several hundred” Chinese nationals were fighting on Russia’s side.

China has denied any direct involvement in the war and claimed it has urged its citizens to avoid armed conflicts.

US envoy Witkoff to meet Putin in Moscow on April 25, media reports

The visit comes as the Trump administration intensifies efforts to broker a ceasefire in Russia’s war against Ukraine. Washington has warned it may withdraw from the mediation process if no progress is made in the coming days.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

Ukrainian drone strike hits Russian drone factory over 1,000 kilometers from border, military claims

Ukraine’s military said on April 23 that it struck a Russian facility producing combat drones located more than 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) from Ukraine’s border.

Independent news channel Astra reported earlier in the day that a Ukrainian long-range drone strike had targeted Alabuga, sharing purported footage of a drone being shot down.

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that Russian air defenses shot down one Ukrainian airplane-type drone in Tatarstan at about 12:20 p.m. local time, without providing further details or mentioning Alabuga.

The strike, carried out by Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces in coordination with other branches of the military, targeted a plant in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone of Russia’s Republic of Tatarstan, the General Staff said.

The facility that was hit manufactures up to 300 Iranian-style Shahed drones and their Russian-made variants, Gerans, per day, according to the General Staff. Shahed-style drones are frequently used by Russia in attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.

The attack is among Ukraine’s deepest strikes into Russian territory since the full-scale invasion began in 2022. Ukraine hit targets over 1,000 kilometers last year for the first time, with one attack occurring 1,800 kilometers (1,118 miles) from the border in Russia’s Murmansk Oblast.

The General Staff said that there were “confirmed hits and explosions in the target area,” and that the damage to the facility as a result of the attack was still being assessed.

“The strike is a justified response against a strategic military site used to support Russia’s aggression and terror against Ukraine and Ukrainian civilians,” the General Staff statement read.

Over 6,000 Shahed-type drones were produced in Alabuga last year, as well as thousands of decoy drones used to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses, said Andrii Kovalenko, an official at Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council.

Russian forces launch hundreds of drones nearly every night at Ukraine, targeting civilian areas and critical infrastructure. The attacks have intensified in recent months as Moscow continues to reject a U.S.-backed proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, which Kyiv says must include a halt to attacks on civilian infrastructure.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged a temporary freeze on long-range drone and missile strikes, but Kremlin officials have dismissed the idea.

Note from the author:

Ukraine War Latest is put together by the Kyiv Independent news desk team, who keep you informed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you value our work and want to ensure we have the resources to continue, join the Kyiv Independent community.

The U.S. is reportedly considering officially recognizing Russian control over occupied Crimea as part of a potential peace agreement — a territorial concession that would kill the existing world order and is deemed unacceptable by Ukraine.

According to Axios, the Trump administration’s final proposal for ending Russia’s all-out war against Ukraine included U.S. de jure recognition of Moscow’s control over Crimea, along with de facto recognition of its partial occupation of other Ukrainian regions — Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on April 23 that Washington is not forcing Ukraine to recognize Crimea as Russian. He then followed by accusing Ukraine of not fighting for the peninsula Russia occupies.

“Nobody is asking (President Volodymyr) Zelensky to recognize Crimea as Russian territory, but if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it 11 years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Russia’s war against Ukraine began in Crimea in 2014. Since then, Moscow has been actively reshaping the peninsula’s ethnic composition, bringing nearly a million Russians into the occupied area and forcing Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars, indigenous people of the peninsula, out and persecuting those who stayed.

The peninsula was turned into a military base, and in 2022, Russia used occupied Crimea as a staging ground for its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The possible U.S. recognition of Russian control over the occupied peninsula would mark an unprecedented step, effectively allowing Moscow to avoid accountability and signal that borders are to be redrawn by force.

For many Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars it would mean, in turn, that they would never be able to return home.

The Kyiv Independent asked Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars to share their stories about Crimea and what would it mean for them if the U.S. would acknowledge and support Russia’s annexation of their homeland.

Alim Aliev, 36, Ukrainian human rights activist, journalist, founder of the Crimean Fig project

For me, Crimea is not just a territory. It is not the sea, mountains, beautiful landscapes, or delicious food. Above all, Crimea is my home. And I haven’t been home for 11 years. My entire childhood was spent in Crimea — my earliest memories, my first victories, my first defeats — all of it happened there. Crimea is what shaped me.

This won’t change much for me personally. Because for me, Crimea remains clearly under occupation, where my people — Crimean Tatars and Ukrainian activists — are constantly and systematically repressed. And it’s a place I simply cannot return to right now. People like me are labeled as ‘extremists,’ ‘terrorists,’ and so on.

That’s why, over the past 11 years, there has been and still is continuous resistance on the peninsula. But beyond that, many Crimean residents, Crimean Tatars, are serving in various units of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, united by a single goal — to return home.

If Trump recognizes Crimea, the biggest losers are Ukraine — and the US, experts say

Formally recognizing Crimea as Russian would breach international law and potentially open the door to further global conflicts, experts warn.

The Kyiv IndependentNatalia Yermak

Crimean Tatar artist, 32, whose family remains on the peninsula

(Anonymous for security reasons)

Recognizing the occupation as legitimate is a turning point.

A precedent where force overshadows law. It is a tacit agreement that you can just come and take what is not yours.

A world in which the door opens for those who redraw borders by force, and borders become temporary agreements. Where silence is interpreted as agreement.

This is not just about Crimea. This is about everyone. Legitimizing the seizure is legalizing lawlessness. And from this moment on, chaos is no longer an anomaly — it is the norm.

A resident based in occupied Crimea, 38

(Anonymous for security reasons)

I regard all his (Trump’s) statements as empty chatter now. He plays on the news and loud statements, that’s all, so I don’t take any such news seriously at all.

Lia Gazı, 23, Crimean Tatar activist in exile

I was born in Crimea, and only now do I truly understand what a privilege that was. Generations of my family fought for the right to live on their native land, enduring exile, surviving the harsh return from Uzbekistan (following the Soviet deportation of Crimean Tatars from Crimea), and rebuilding their lives from scratch… all so that I could be born in Crimea.

I spent the happiest years of my childhood there. That precious time came to an abrupt end with the Russian occupation. For us, Crimea is not just a seaside or a vacation spot. It is our homeland, the one place where we truly belong, where every hill, every street, every scent holds a memory.

One of my warmest memories is of the days when our relatives from Uzbekistan came to visit their homeland. We used to travel often, and only now do I realize that I may never again see the Khan’s Palace in Bakhchisarai the way I remember it from my childhood, because Russia is destroying it. One of the most important symbols of Crimean Tatar history is being erased before our eyes.

As a Crimean Tatar, as someone whose homeland is Crimea, whose ancestors lived and died on that land, the very thought of the U.S. recognizing Russia’s occupation is devastating. I am the fifth generation of my family that has not been able to live freely in Crimea. To me, such recognition would feel like a personal betrayal. It would mean that the hope I’ve carried in my heart all these years, the hope of returning home, is slowly being extinguished.

I have lived in exile believing that one day, justice would prevail and Crimea would be free again. But now, the idea that powerful nations are even considering legitimizing this occupation fills me with profound disappointment, sorrow, and a sense of abandonment.

From the very beginning, the international response to the occupation of Crimea has been too weak. But never did I imagine that we would reach a point where the discussion would shift from how to liberate Crimea to how to normalize its annexation.

For Crimean Tatars, this would be more than just a political decision, it would be a death sentence for our national identity. It would signal to the world that the disappearance of our people, our language, our culture, and our history is acceptable.

The world’s acceptance of Russia’s control over Crimea would mean accepting that the Crimean Tatars, the indigenous people of the peninsula, may cease to exist as a distinct nation.

Kyiv-based student, 21, whose family remains on the peninsula

(Anonymous for security reasons)

“Crimea was the place where my brother and I spent our childhood. We lived there from time to time and, received treatment, and then returned to the mainland. The memories are warm: figs in our own garden, Karaite family friends, hikes in the mountains to the old Krymchak cemeteries. Throughout our childhood, we were prepared for the idea that we would study and live there, and in 2013, we planned to move there permanently.

The legitimization of Russia’s occupation by the U.S. is perceived in the same way as much of what we are hearing from Trump and his team: quite absurd but also scary because it could be done. If the United States decides to take such a step, other countries that are politically and economically dependent on it may follow.

There are indeed pro-Ukrainian residents in Crimea who believe that Ukraine will return.

Tamila Tasheva, 39, Ukrainian lawmaker, president’s former permanent representative for Crimea

Crimea is not just geography, it is not just a territory. It is the place where my family comes from, the place that holds the history of my people. It is the place where my identity was shaped and where my civic activism began. Because of the 1944 deportation, I was born in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, but Crimea has always remained in my heart as a point of return and deep connection.

My personal memories of Crimea include warm evenings there and stories of the 1944 deportation experienced by my loved ones. It also includes the first public demonstrations in support of Crimeans and Ukraine in Crimea, as well as the first impactful civic initiatives.

Since the occupation of Crimea, I have not been able to return home for over 11 years. Sadly, I am not alone. Many Ukrainian citizens, activists, and representatives of the Crimean Tatar people are, for various reasons, barred from returning home. Yet, despite this, Crimea remains a point of internal connection, hope, and resistance.

The idea of possible U.S. recognition of Russia’s occupation of Crimea is absolutely unacceptable. Legally, it contradicts Ukraine’s Constitution, which clearly defines Crimea as part of our sovereign territory. Politically, it would mean surrendering to evil and legitimizing the results of illegal, unprovoked aggression. And personally, it would be yet another attempt to erase my identity, my family’s history, and the struggle of thousands who have fought — and continue to fight — for a free Crimea.

For Crimeans, such a stance is not just a betrayal. It signals that their pain, repression, deportations, arrests, and humiliation supposedly do not matter. It would imply that those who resisted the occupation, who refused to collaborate with the occupiers, who ended up imprisoned — did it all for nothing. But that is not true. It is precisely because of them that Crimea remains Ukrainian — politically, culturally, in the hearts of millions.

Ukraine does not trade its people nor its land. Crimea cannot be a ‘bargaining chip.’ Anyone who thinks that recognizing Crimea as Russian would end the war is gravely mistaken. It would create a precedent that aggression and occupation are acceptable. Ukraine will not allow that.

Liza Sivets, 31, working in the public history field

I was very lucky to be born in Crimea and live there for 20 years, until 2014, so all my childhood and carefree youth are associated with the peninsula. I grew up by the sea, in a place with the most beautiful sunsets. I traveled all over Crimea with my family, school travel group, and university friends. This region is extremely rich in history, including tragic and little-talked-about history, and this influenced what I chose to do as my work.

But Crimea is not just memories for me. These are people whom Russia imprisoned or forced to leave their homes because of their beliefs. These are the people who still live there, under occupation and propaganda, and force themselves to remain silent so that this Russian repressive machine does not hit their families as well.

I see it as a defeat of American democracy and a confirmation that the U.S. is aligning itself with Russia. Overall, I am disappointed but not surprised. If this recognition happens, me and other residents of Crimea will feel even more betrayed and hopeless.

Thousands of internally displaced people and refugees are unlikely to be able to return home, see their loved ones, or visit their family graves. And people in Crimea, who are waiting for justice and Ukraine’s return, will suffer even more repression from Russia.

In fact, by this recognition, the United States is telling Russia that the crimes it commits are acceptable, that it will not be punished, and that it can continue. If Trump is so eager to please (Vladimir) Putin, he might as well hand over one of the American states to Russia.

Khrystyna Burdym, 35, culture and art worker, the Crimea exhibition curator

Unfortunately, my memories are still very childish. The last time I was in Crimea was when I was about 10 years old.

For me, Crimea is, first and foremost, an image of carefree days. I associate it with nature, with my family, with the people with whom we traveled there on vacation, and with friends who lived on the peninsula before it was occupied.

Crimea is also about health, Crimean Tatar cuisine, and happy parents.

Unfortunately, at the time, I didn’t fully grasp the depth, uniqueness, and significance of the peninsula. I knew far less about it than I would have liked — its history, culture, and the Crimean Tatars. It was still the 2000s, and back then, Crimea wasn’t as visible or widely discussed as it is today.

But thanks to the exhibition we organized for the Crimean Platform, it felt like I returned those memories, while also hearing an incredible number of stories from artists, from those who were born in Crimea.

This statement (about the U.S.’s possible recognition of Russian control over Crimea) has been in the air for a long time. But until recently, I hoped that a country with such influence and weight would not say it out loud.

Of course, such things are unsettling. They are troubling. But I hope that for Ukrainians, as well as for everyone who supports us around the world, this will be nothing more than a temporary shock after which we will return to the fight even more resolutely.

Putting aside geopolitics, what hurts me the most right now is what’s happening with my friends, those who are from Crimea. They have been unable to return home since 2014. Some of them have not seen their families for years. This is unfair. It is painful.

And I want to make it clear once again: this occupation is temporary. I believe in it. As I think most Ukrainians do. And many people in the world do, too.

Crimean Tatar artist, 40

(Anonymous for security reasons)

Me and my family in Crimea have a negative attitude toward Trump’s potential recognition of Crimea as Russian. It’s not even a topic of discussion in my family circles. For them, it’s unacceptable when people say that Crimea will never return to Ukraine.

If Crimea becomes Russian, I can only imagine the repression and added pressure that would fall on those with a Crimean Tatar identity or views that are not tolerant of Russia.

There’s also a specific problem for representatives of the Crimean Tatar community who have to hide their names because it poses a threat to their relatives in Crimea. Even soldiers fighting for Ukraine, when they are buried, are not always publicly named. For us, anything that requires publicity is restricted.

A close relative of mine, a retiree (from Crimea), said: ‘That’s impossible, they won’t recognize it — the people of Ukraine do not support this. Sooner or later, Crimea will return to Ukraine.'

The war in Ukraine would end “instantly” if Kyiv agreed to withdraw from territory it currently controls and abandon its NATO ambitions, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with the French outlet Le Point on April 23, reiterating conditions that Ukraine and its allies have repeatedly rejected.

Peskov laid out Moscow’s demands for a ceasefire, including the full recognition of Russia’s claim over four Ukrainian oblasts it partially occupies, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia, neutral status for Ukraine, and an end to all Western military support.

“If Ukraine lays down its arms and withdraws from these regions, military operations will stop instantly,” Peskov said. “These four regions are inscribed in our constitution as an integral part of Russia."

The Kremlin illegally annexed the four territories following sham referenda in late 2022, including the Ukrainian oblasts as part of Russia in the constitution — in a move that holds no weight internationally.

Although Moscow has declared all four oblasts and the Crimean Peninsula as part of Russia, it does not fully control them. Russia currently occupies about 20% of Ukraine’s territory, including nearly all of Luhansk Oblast, two-thirds of Donetsk, and approximately 73% of both Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, as well as the entirety of Crimea, which it illegally annexed in 2014.

Peskov also rejected the legitimacy of the so-called “coalition of the willing,” a group of 31 nations that has pledged to send peacekeeping forces and offer security guarantees to Ukraine in the event of a peace agreement.

“Whether this coalition exists before or after the signing of an agreement is a detail for us,” he said. “The most important thing is the location of these soldiers.” Russia considers any deployment of foreign troops, particularly from NATO countries, a security risk, according to Peskov.

Asked whether Russia would consider further military expansion beyond Ukraine, Peskov dismissed the idea. He insisted Russia has “no problems or territorial claims” toward the Baltic or Nordic states. Russia also denied it was planning to invade Ukraine just before the start of its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

The Kremlin spokesperson also praised U.S. President Donald Trump as a “strong leader” willing to engage in dialogue, suggesting this differentiated him from the previous U.S. administration. “Putin appreciates strong men,” he said.

The Trump administration’s final proposal for ending the Russia-Ukraine war reportedly includes major concessions to Russia, including the U.S.’s de jure recognition of Russia’s control over Crimea, along with de facto recognition of its occupation of other Ukrainian territories, Axios reported on April 22, citing sources.

Ukraine’s leadership along with its European partners have firmly rejected any deal that concedes sovereign territory.

“This violates our Constitution. This is our territory, the territory of the people of Ukraine,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said on April 22.

Ukraine has no great options if Trump recognizes Crimea as Russian

Ukraine is facing a crossroads in its fight against Russia’s full-scale invasion, with the possibility of being forced to reject an unfavorable peace deal being imposed under huge pressure from the U.S. The red line for Kyiv could be a reported proposal from the White House that would give

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

A Ukrainian delegation met with European officials and U.S. Special Envoy Keith Kellogg in London on April 23 to continue discussions on a possible path to peace, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said in a statement on X.

“During our meeting with U.S. Special Envoy General Keith Kellogg, we had a constructive exchange of views on the path to peace,” Sybiha wrote. “Ukraine wants the war to end more than anyone else in the world. We are committed to working together to achieve this goal."

The London meeting, originally intended as a ministerial-level summit involving the U.S., U.K., Germany, France, and Ukraine, was notably downgraded after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff declined to participate.

According to Reuters, Rubio pulled out after Ukraine submitted a document to European partners on April 22 declaring it would not enter talks on territorial issues until Russia agrees to a “full and unconditional ceasefire."

Following the meetings in London, Ukrainian Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak reiterated Kyiv’s position, saying, “An immediate, complete and unconditional ceasefire should be the first step towards the start of negotiations on achieving a just and lasting peace.”

Yermak also emphasized that Ukraine would defend its “principled positions,” which form the basis of its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Despite the absence of Rubio and Witkoff, the U.K. Foreign Ministry said “significant progress was made on reaching a common position,” and that all parties reaffirmed support for U.S. President Donald Trump’s stated commitment to achieving a just and lasting peace.

The meeting followed a summit in Paris on April 17, where senior Trump administration officials outlined a controversial peace proposal to Ukrainian and European delegates.

The plan reportedly includes recognition of Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and a ban on Ukraine’s NATO membership — two central demands by the Kremlin.

Trump’s reported ‘final’ peace plan includes accepting Russian occupation, few benefits for Ukraine

The U.S. reportedly presented its peace proposal last week during a meeting with Ukrainian officials in Paris.

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova

Ukraine’s leadership has firmly rejected any deal that concedes sovereign territory.

“This violates our Constitution. This is our territory, the territory of the people of Ukraine,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said on April 22.

The U.S. president denied that Ukraine is being pressured to accept the Crimea clause, writing on Truth Social: “Nobody is asking Zelensky to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory.”

Trump also argued that “even before the annexation of Crimea, major Russian submarine bases” were present there, and accused Zelensky of inflaming tensions with rhetoric that complicates peace efforts.

Despite Trump’s repeated claims of progress, Russia has rejected a U.S. proposal for a 30-day ceasefire and continues offensive operations. Putin declared a symbolic one-day Easter truce on April 19, which Ukraine reported was violated around 3,000 times.

Kyiv has separately proposed a 30-day ceasefire focused on halting long-range drone and missile strikes on civilian infrastructure, which the Kremlin has said it will “look into."

While Trump has repeatedly pledged to end the war swiftly and expressed frustration with Russia’s refusal to de-escalate, the U.S. president has yet to impose new sanctions or take punitive measures in response to Moscow’s ongoing invasion.

If Trump recognizes Crimea, the biggest losers are Ukraine — and the US, experts say

Formally recognizing Crimea as Russian would breach international law and potentially open the door to further global conflicts, experts warn.

The Kyiv IndependentNatalia Yermak

Ukraine is facing a crossroads in its fight against Russia’s full-scale invasion, with the possibility of being forced to reject an unfavorable peace deal being imposed under huge pressure from the U.S.

The red line for Kyiv could be a reported proposal from the White House that would give Russia de jure recognition of Crimea as a Russian territory — a move that would end more than a decade of bipartisan consensus rejecting the annexation, based on a bedrock of long-held international norms.

“Under Trump, the Crimean Declaration was signed during his first term in 2018, where the United States did not recognize Crimea as part of Russia,” Volodymyr Ariev, a lawmaker with the European Solidarity Party, told the Kyiv Independent.

“If the U.S. violates this declaration, which it itself made, it will present itself as an unreliable partner worldwide… and open Pandora’s box globally."

Ukraine finds itself in an immensely frustrating position, having done all that was asked of it by the U.S. since the peace process began in earnest, yet now facing demands that are likely impossible.

On March 11, Kyiv signed off on a U.S.-proposed, full 30-day truce, and has taken steps towards signing a mineral deal with Washington after Trump cut off military and intelligence sharing following a now infamous rebuke of Zelensky in the Oval Office in February.

Russia has refused to agree to a full ceasefire, and has continued devastating attacks against Ukrainian civilians, yet the White House has not applied any sanctions or pressure to get them to stop.

Despite this, the U.S. is now pushing a peace deal that rewards Russia’s war of aggression, and strips Ukraine of territory with no security guarantees that could prevent Moscow from launching another war in the future.

This frustration was evident on April 23 when Zelensky said Ukraine insists on an “immediate, full, and unconditional ceasefire."

“That was the proposal put forward by the United States on March 11 of this year — and it was absolutely reasonable,” Zelensky said.

“This is absolutely possible – but only if Russia agrees and stops the killing."

With no sign of Russia signing up for a full ceasefire, the U.S. proposal is the only game in town — but it’s loaded against Kyiv right from the outset.

The legal restraint

One of the most immediate problems in the event of the U.S. recognizing Crimea as Russian is that Ukrainian law does not allow Kyiv to agree to, or condone the move.

According to the Ukrainian Constitution, Crimea is a legally recognized and inseparable part of Ukraine.

No acts can be passed by the Ukrainian government that contradict the country’s constitution. The constitution can’t be changed during martial law.

The only way Ukraine could legally recognize Crimea as Russian would be to hold a referendum on the issue and put the vote to the people. While recent polling shows the number of Ukrainians willing to make territorial concessions to end the war has risen, a majority still oppose the idea.

Further, polling has not specified between de facto and de jure control, with de jure likely to be more heavily opposed than de facto.

“No Ukrainian government has a mandate to recognize Crimea as Russian,” Halyna Yanchenko, a lawmaker from the Servant of the People party, told the Kyiv Independent.

“Any peace agreement that includes such a provision would risk sparking unrest within the country. That’s why no Ukrainian leadership would ever agree to it.

“And there is simply no chance such a deal would pass a vote in Ukraine’s Parliament."

The immediate steps for Ukraine

If the U.S. is proposing recognizing Crimea de jure as Russian, Ukraine’s immediate priority should be to lobby against it, Ukrainian political analyst Yevhen Magda, told the Kyiv Independent.

“Ukraine must privately persuade the U.S. of the inadvisability of such a move,” he said.

“Trump’s team should understand that no serious Ukrainian politician would accept such a step, and any proposal aimed at satisfying Putin’s ambitions would only consolidate Ukrainian society around Volodymyr Zelensky — not weaken it."

Magda’s sentiment is shared by Ian Garner, assistant professor in totalitarian studies at Poland’s Pilecki Institute, who told the Kyiv Independent that if he were “in the room with Zelensky right now,” he’d be telling him that Ukraine has to “make every effort to continue to get the Americans back on board."

“But we have to plan assuming that America will not only cease to intervene in the conflict, but may actually, whether intentionally or not, advance Russia’s aims and Russia’s goals,” he adds.

If persuasion fails

The rhetoric coming from the White House suggests the Trump administration will have little patience for anything that diverges from the plan they have already set in motion, including whichever proposals are contained within it.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance said on April 23 that the U.S. presented a “very explicit proposal” to Russia and Ukraine on a peace deal, repeating warnings Washington might drop its peace effort if the belligerent sides refuse.

Talking to journalists during a visit to India, Vance said Washington presented a “very explicit proposal” to Russia and Ukraine, adding it is time for Kyiv and Moscow “to either say yes or for the United States to walk away from this process."

Trump put it even more bluntly last week.

“If for some reason one of the two parties makes it very difficult, we’re just going to say: ‘you’re foolish, you’re fools, you’re horrible people,’ and we’re just going to take a pass,” he said.

All of this risks playing into the hands of the Kremlin, with both Moscow and Washington potentially being able to point to Ukraine’s refusal to go along with the proposal as the main sticking point of negotiations.

“It will be considered as a provocation with a view (for the U.S.) to exit negotiations and to put the blame on the victim of the aggression,” Oleksandr Merezhko, lawmaker and chair of the parliament’s foreign affairs committee, told the Kyiv Independent.

A US withdrawal

With Ukraine being blamed for the breakdown in peace talks, the U.S. could well follow through on its threat to withdraw, giving Russia what it wanted all along since negotiations began — a free hand to carry on the war.

“Unfortunately, Trump’s team not only lacks a clear and adequate plan to end the Russian-Ukrainian war — they also fail to understand Ukraine’s needs and have, in fact, become a target of reflexive control by the Kremlin,” Magda said.

With its main supplier of military aid out of the picture, Ukraine’s ability to fight back against Russia’s full-scale invasion would be largely reliant on Europe, a prospect that is far more realistic than it was just a few months ago, but still unlikely to fill the gap left by Washington in the near-term.

Europe has only been discussing sending troops to Ukraine in the context of a peacekeeping force to back up a peace deal, and while it is making moves to ramp up defense spending and production, it will be months if not years until it can supply the weapons Ukraine needs in the quantities that will be effective to push Russia back.

“Ukraine has to count on itself and its own resourcefulness,” Garner said.

Ukraine is producing 30% of the weapons it needs itself, Zelensky said earlier this year, and it has managed to stabilize the front line in the east against a Russian army that is facing its own supply and manpower issues.

Garner believes that it is “quite possible and quite plausible” for Ukraine to “hold a defensive line, but added that “it’s not going to be easy."

“It’s going to require continued large-scale sacrifices in terms of lives, in terms of money,” he said.

In the meantime, he said Ukraine should “continue to advocate for itself, continue to Europeanise, continue to fight corruption, continue to democratise, and to move itself ever further towards its allies in Europe."

“Because that’s the thing that’s going to stop Vladimir Putin, right?” Garner said. “If the people are Europeanised and liberalised, then they are never going to accept Russian invasion and Russian occupation, whether it’s diplomatic, political, economic, cultural or indeed military."

‘Dangerous and cruel’ — Trump’s reported Crimea proposal sparks horror among Ukraine’s lawmakers

Reports that the U.S. could formally give de jure recognition to Russia’s control over Crimea have landed like a bombshell in Kyiv.

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

Ukraine’s military said on April 23 that it struck a Russian facility producing combat drones located more than 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) from Ukraine’s border.

Independent news channel Astra reported earlier in the day that a Ukrainian long-range drone strike had targeted Alabuga, sharing purported footage of a drone being shot down.

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that Russian air defenses shot down one Ukrainian airplane-type drone in Tatarstan at about 12:20 p.m. local time, without providing further details or mentioning Alabuga.

The strike, carried out by Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces in coordination with other branches of the military, targeted a plant in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone of Russia’s Republic of Tatarstan, the General Staff said.

The facility that was hit manufactures up to 300 Iranian-style Shahed drones and their Russian-made variants, Gerans, per day, according to the General Staff. Shahed-style drones are frequently used by Russia in attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.

The attack is among Ukraine’s deepest strikes into Russian territory since the full-scale invasion began in 2022. Ukraine hit targets over 1,000 kilometers last year for the first time, with one attack occurring 1,800 kilometers (1,118 miles) from the border in Russia’s Murmansk Oblast.

The General Staff said that there were “confirmed hits and explosions in the target area,” and that the damage to the facility as a result of the attack was still being assessed.

“The strike is a justified response against a strategic military site used to support Russia’s aggression and terror against Ukraine and Ukrainian civilians," the General Staff statement read.

Over 6,000 Shahed-type drones were produced in Alabuga last year, as well as thousands of decoy drones used to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses, said Andrii Kovalenko, an official at Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council.

Russian forces launch hundreds of drones nearly every night at Ukraine, targeting civilian areas and critical infrastructure. The attacks have intensified in recent months as Moscow continues to reject a U.S.-backed proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, which Kyiv says must include a halt to attacks on civilian infrastructure.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged a temporary freeze on long-range drone and missile strikes, but Kremlin officials have dismissed the idea.

Ukraine strikes Russian drone launch site in Kursk Oblast, killing up to 20 operators, General Staff says

Russian forces reportedly used the facility to prepare, equip, and launch reconnaissance, strike, and FPV (first-person-view) drones.

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova

U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on April 25, Axios reported on April 23, citing an unnamed U.S. official.

The visit comes as the Trump administration intensifies efforts to broker a ceasefire in Russia’s war against Ukraine. Washington has warned it may withdraw from the mediation process if no progress is made in the coming days.

Witkoff’s trip follows a summit in Paris on April 17, where senior Trump administration officials presented a draft peace proposal to Ukrainian and European counterparts.

The plan reportedly includes recognition of Russia’s illegal 2014 annexation of Crimea and barring Ukraine from joining NATO — two long-standing demands by the Kremlin.

Ukraine’s response to the proposal was expected during follow-up meetings in London with European, Ukrainian, and American officials on April 23, but U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Witkoff declined to attend, downgrading the talks.

According to Reuters, Rubio’s decision not to participate in the meetings came after Ukraine delivered a document to European partners on April 22 declaring that Kyiv would not negotiate territorial issues until “a full and unconditional ceasefire” had been achieved.

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Witkoff, who serves as the Trump administration's Middle East envoy, has visited Russia several times this year and met with Putin on at least three occasions.

The envoy has drawn criticism from both U.S. and Ukrainian officials for promoting Kremlin-aligned positions, including the idea of trading Ukrainian territory for peace.

Speaking on April 22, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine would not entertain any proposal that concedes sovereign territory. "This violates our Constitution. This is our territory, the territory of the people of Ukraine," he said.

U.S. President Donald Trump has denied that Ukraine is being pressured to recognize Crimea as Russian. "Nobody is asking Zelensky to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory," he posted on Truth Social on April 23.

The U.S. president also went on to dismiss Zelensky's firm rejection of any recognition of Russia's control over Crimea as "harmful to the peace negotiations."

Despite Trump's repeated claims of progress, Russia has rejected a U.S. proposal for a 30-day ceasefire and continues offensive operations. Putin declared a symbolic one-day Easter truce on April 19, which Ukraine reported was violated around 3,000 times.

Kyiv has separately proposed a 30-day truce focused on halting long-range drone and missile strikes on civilian infrastructure, which the Kremlin has said it will "look into."

While expressing frustration with Russia's refusal to de-escalate, the U.S. president has yet to impose new sanctions or take punitive measures in response to Moscow's ongoing invasion.

Trump says ‘nobody is asking’ Ukraine to recognize Crimea as Russian

“Nobody is asking (President Volodymyr) Zelensky to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory, but if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?” U.S. President Donald Trump wrote.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

The U.S. media outlet Axios reported on April 23 that the U.S. President Donald Trump administration’s final proposal for ending the Russia-Ukraine war included the U.S. de jure recognizing Russia’s annexation of Crimea and de facto recognizing its control of other occupied Ukrainian territories. We asked Kyiv residents for their reactions to the U.S. proposal.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he was hopeful a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine can be reached soon but expressed doubt that any deal could materialize within a week, he said on April 23 in an interview with the Honestly podcast.

“I don’t know about by the end of the week. I’m hopeful that we can get to something quickly,” Rubio said. “And I remain hopeful that we can get something done because this is a terrible war and it needs to end.”

His comments come as the White House ramps up diplomatic efforts for Kyiv and Moscow to come to the table to negotiate an end to Russia’s full-scale invasion. U.S. President Donald Trump declared on April 21 said that a deal between Ukraine and Russia could be struck “this week.”

In the interview, Rubio also said the U.S. understands Russia’s position better after reestablishing contact with Moscow. Former U.S. President Joe Biden cut off formal communications with the Kremlin after the start of the invasion in February 2022.

“We have a better understanding of that now because we’ve actually spoken to them after three years of not speaking to them,” he said.

Rubio also said there is “no military end to this war,” adding that “Russia’s not just going to roll over Ukraine and take the whole country, and Ukraine’s not going to push them all the way back to where they were before 2014.”

U.S. Vice President JD Vance said during a visit to India on April 23 that the U.S. had submitted a “very explicit proposal” to both Kyiv and Moscow. Vance warned that unless the two sides move forward, Washington may abandon its mediation efforts.

“We really tried to understand things from the perspectives of both Ukrainians and Russians,” he said, describing the plan as “very fair.” The proposal reportedly includes freezing current front lines and accepting that both sides will need to cede some territorial claims.  

Rubio also signaled that Washington may move on, unless progress is made. “Ultimately it’s not up to us. It’s up to Russia, and it’s up to Ukraine. They have to make the decision that they’re willing to move closer to one another, and we need to start to see progress.”

Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff declined to participate in diplomatic meetings taking place in London on April 23. The talks were originally planned as a ministerial-level summit involving the U.S., U.K., Germany, France, and Ukraine, but was downgraded after Rubio’s withdrawal.

Downgraded peace talks between US, Ukraine, and European allies begin in London

The meeting was to be held at a ministerial level, but was downgraded after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio canceled his participation.

The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek

President Donald Trump claimed in a post on his social media platform Truth Social that the U.S. is not forcing Ukraine to recognize Crimea as Russian, following reports a U.S. peace plan includes the U.S. formally recognizing Moscow’s illegal annexation of Crimea.

“Nobody is asking (President Volodymyr) Zelensky to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory, but if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?” Trump wrote.

If Trump recognizes Crimea, the biggest losers are Ukraine — and the US, experts say

Formally recognizing Crimea as Russian would breach international law and potentially open the door to further global conflicts, experts warn.

The Kyiv IndependentNatalia Yermak

More than 1,500 foreign mercenaries from 48 countries recruited to fight for Russia against Ukraine have been identified in an investigation by the independent Russian media outlet Important Stories published on April 23.

Despite Russian President Vladimir Putin’s earlier claims that Russia had “no need” for foreign fighters, the data reveals widespread recruitment through official military selection points in Moscow.

Journalists obtained the names and nationalities of the mercenaries through a leaked database from the Unified Medical Information and Analytical System of Moscow.

According to the publication, these individuals passed through Moscow’s recruitment center between April 2023 and May 2024. Of the more than 1,500 foreigners processed, at least 1,300 have been identified by nationality.

Nepal tops the list, with at least 603 nationals joining the Russian army. The influx reportedly began in small groups in mid-2023, escalating to over 370 Nepalese recruits passing through the Moscow selection point in October alone.

Recruitment declined by the end of the year, reportedly following diplomatic protests from Nepal.

Other nationalities include citizens of Sri Lanka (64), China (51), India (43), Serbia (8), Cuba (8), and Latvia (4). From former Soviet states, recruits include citizens of Tajikistan (86), Uzbekistan and Belarus (71 each), Kyrgyzstan (64), Kazakhstan (59), Turkmenistan (19), and Moldova (12).

The total number of foreign fighters is likely far higher. On Feb. 11, CNN reported that up to 15,000 Nepalese citizens could have been recruited by Russia.

Ukrainian forces have also confirmed the presence of foreign fighters on the battlefield. In early April, two Chinese nationals were captured in Donetsk Oblast while fighting for Russia.

President Volodymyr Zelensky later said that “several hundred” Chinese nationals were taking part in the war on Russia’s side. One detainee reportedly paid a middleman 300,000 rubles (about $3,500) to enlist in exchange for Russian citizenship.

China has denied involvement, claiming it urges its citizens to avoid armed conflicts. Moscow has also used some 12,000 North Korean army troops dispatched by Pyongyang to counter the Ukrainian incursion in Kursk Oblast.

‘Groundless accusations, political manipulations’ — China reacts to Ukraine summoning its envoy

A day earlier, Chinese Ambassador to Ukraine Ma Shengkun was invited to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry to meet with Deputy Foreign Minister Yevhen Perebyinis.

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova