Donald Trump has dispatched peace envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner to Moscow with a direct offer for Vladimir Putin: U.S. recognition of Russian control over Crimea and other occupied Ukrainian territories in exchange for ending the war.
This was reported by The Telegraph, citing its own sources.
According to the publication, the plan envisages Washington recognizing Russia's control over Crimea and the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. It also proposes the "de facto" recognition of the Russian presence in the captured territories of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions following any ceasefire.
"It is becoming increasingly clear that the Americans do not care about the European position. They say the Europeans can do whatever they want," said a source familiar with the negotiations.
On Friday, the Kremlin confirmed receipt of the revised strategy to end the war—a 19-point plan developed following emergency talks between Ukrainian and U.S. officials in Geneva. While this version is less favorable to Moscow than Witkoff’s previous 28-point draft, sources indicate that the proposals regarding territorial recognition remain.
At the same time, Kyiv would not be obliged to recognize Russian control. In an interview with The Atlantic, Head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak stated: "No sane person today would sign a document giving up territory. As long as Zelensky is president—let no one count on us giving up territory. He will not sign away territory."
Yermak and National Security Advisor Rustem Umerov are scheduled to fly to Florida this weekend to meet with U.S. officials at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence.
European allies are concerned. Following a meeting of the "coalition of the willing" on Wednesday, leaders emphasized that borders cannot be changed by force. A European counter-proposal contains no recommendations regarding the recognition of Russian control.
Negotiations on Trump’s peace plan have moved through several key stages over the past week. The initial 28-point document was drafted by special envoy Steve Witkoff in consultation with Russian emissary Kirill Dmitriev, without the participation of Ukraine or Europe. Following emergency talks in Geneva on November 23, the plan was reduced to 19 points—some provisions were excluded and others amended based on consultations between Kyiv and Washington. According to the White House, most points have already been agreed upon, leaving "a few sensitive, but not insurmountable details."
The U.S. has abandoned the strict deadline of November 27 for Ukraine to accept the plan. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the timeline has become "significantly more flexible," with the most sensitive issues—territorial questions and security guarantees—left for direct discussion between Presidents Zelensky and Trump. Meanwhile, analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) stress that Moscow is likely to reject any proposals that do not amount to Kyiv's de facto capitulation, as the Kremlin's demands include demilitarization, Ukraine's renunciation of sovereignty, and unacceptable territorial concessions.
Analyst Yuriy Romanenko compares the situation to the Munich Agreement of 1938, when the fate of Czechoslovakia was decided without its participation. He notes that what is currently outlined is merely the "architecture of a peace treaty, not the final version," meaning the Ukrainian side has the opportunity to fight for more acceptable formulations. The key issue for Ukraine remains long-range weapons, which will directly determine the extent of its agency following a ceasefire.