During a meeting in London centered on finding ways to achieve peace in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the US is expected to present new initiatives that may include the recognition of Crimea and a freeze on the front line as part of a peace agreement.
According to sources cited by The Washington Post, the proposals presented to Ukraine last week in Paris include recognizing Crimea as part of Russia and the potential lifting of sanctions against Moscow.
In exchange for these concessions, the US hopes for a cessation of military actions from Russia, as reported.
An unnamed advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the American proposals contain both acceptable and unacceptable elements for Kyiv.
One Western official remarked that the pressure from the US on Ukraine is considerable.
A State Department representative denied that Washington is imposing any decisions on Kyiv, but the growing dissatisfaction from the Trump administration regarding delays in negotiations raises concerns in Ukraine about future relations with Washington.
Diplomats from France, the UK, and Germany are expected to insist that any agreement includes security guarantees and post-war recovery programs, potentially funded by frozen Russian assets.
European and Ukrainian officials privately acknowledge that regaining control over territories currently held by Russia will be extremely challenging. They hope to delay the signing of any peace agreement, allowing Moscow to retain seized lands and evade sanctions.
In recent negotiations in Paris, the US presented its proposals to Ukraine, which the Ukrainian side took as Washington's final chance before potentially exiting the peace process.
The US proposals, including the recognition of Crimea as Russian, surfaced after Trump’s special envoy, Stephen Witkoff, visited Moscow for lengthy talks with President Putin.
One individual familiar with the proposals described them as "Witkoff's idea" for the US to recognize Crimea as Russian without forcing Ukraine into agreement.
The State Department declined to comment on the specific proposals presented during the negotiations.
A representative stated that "the only document shared in Paris was a list of potential options for discussion."
In recent weeks, European leaders have become more actively engaged in peace negotiations, which marks an improvement compared to the initial talks of the Trump administration with the Russians that excluded Ukraine. Now, efforts are being made in London and beyond to leverage influence in favor of Ukraine.
As WP notes, Europe has certain levers of influence, including billions in confiscated or frozen Russian assets that could be returned or utilized to fund post-war recovery programs.
Meanwhile, the European Union is offering member states a coordinated approach to enhance their sanctions program.
On Monday, President Trump announced that he would unveil the details of his proposed "peace plan" concerning the war in Ukraine this week.
A meeting will take place on April 23 in London, where the US, Ukraine, and its European allies will discuss steps towards a ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine war.
The Ukrainian delegation will include Head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga, and Deputy Head of the Office of the President Pavlo Palisa.