Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed halting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine along the current front line.
According to the Financial Times on April 22, 2025, as part of peace talks with the Trump administration. The offer, reported by sources familiar with the matter, marks a potential shift in Moscow’s stance.
During a meeting with US envoy Steve Witkoff in St. Petersburg in early April, Putin indicated Russia might abandon claims to parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia, which it partially occupies. In exchange, Moscow seeks US recognition of its 2014 annexation of Crimea and a guarantee that Ukraine will not join NATO, per the FT.
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— Reuters (@Reuters) April 22, 2025Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected ceding any territory, including Crimea, stating, “This is our territory, there is nothing to discuss.” European allies echo Kyiv’s demand for pre-2014 borders, a stance US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth called “unrealistic.” Critics warn that Putin’s offer may pressure Trump into concessions favouring Moscow.
Read: Putin Proposes Bilateral Talks with Ukraine After Easter Ceasefire Fails
The proposal follows stalled US-led ceasefire talks, with Trump pushing for a swift resolution. Russia’s rejection of NATO’s presence in Ukraine complicates negotiations, while Witkoff’s pro-Russia remarks have sparked concern among US and European officials.
