The United States is prepared to recognize Russian control of the Ukrainian region of Crimea as part of a broader peace agreement between Moscow and Kyiv, Bloomberg News reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter.
Newsweek noted on Friday that Russia illegally invaded the Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and has referred to it as Russian territory since then.
The Ukrainian military has tried to drive Russian forces out of Crimea and Donbas in the intervening years.
The White House's reported readiness to recognize Crimea as part of Russia will likely undermine the already tense negotiations with Ukraine and Russia about a ceasefire. It also suggests the Trump administration's increased eagerness to reach an agreement.
For now, the United States still recognizes Crimea as part of Ukraine, and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy continues to maintain that he will not relinquish any of his country's territory to Russia as part of any ceasefire or peace deal.
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