U.S. officials are reportedly preparing to present a controversial peace proposal during a meeting in London this week with Ukrainian and European representatives, according to The Washington Post. The proposed plan, aimed at ending the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, includes formal U.S. recognition of Crimea as part of Russia and a freeze on current front lines.
The meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, is expected to include U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump administration envoys Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg, along with senior officials from France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine.
According to sources cited in the report, the proposal was already shown to Ukrainian officials during a meeting in Paris last week. It reportedly offers a path for gradually lifting sanctions on Moscow under a broader peace framework. One Western diplomat described the level of pressure on Ukraine to accept the terms as “astounding.”
European officials are expected to push back, seeking firm security guarantees for Ukraine and a roadmap for postwar reconstruction, possibly using frozen Russian assets to fund recovery.
Former President Donald Trump, who has taken a leading role in shaping the plan, has warned he may abandon the effort if no progress is made soon. He told reporters Monday that more details would be released in the coming days.
Steve Witkoff, the U.S. special envoy who has held multiple discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin, is scheduled to visit Moscow later this week. One source suggested it was Witkoff’s idea to propose recognizing Russian control over Crimea without requiring Ukraine to officially acknowledge it.
Crimea was annexed by Russia following a 2014 referendum, which took place shortly after the Western-backed ousting of Ukraine’s pro-Russian government. The U.S. and its allies have never recognized the vote, which they consider illegitimate.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly ruled out any territorial concessions and continues to call for increased military aid. The Trump team, however, has indicated that U.S. military support will be reduced if a peace deal is not reached.
Russia has consistently maintained that the status of Crimea, Sevastopol, and four other Ukrainian regions annexed in 2022 is non-negotiable, asserting that recognition of territorial realities is essential for lasting peace.
