Insider leak from the U.S. – Russia negotiations. Could the U.S. recognize Crimea as russian? Did Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy agree?
Hello, friends!
The news portal Semafor, citing sources within Trump’s circle, reports that the Trump administration is considering the possibility of recognizing Crimea as Russian in a potential peace agreement. This refers specifically to a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine, not just a 30-day ceasefire deal.
What is Semafor? What kind of website is it? Let me explain. It is a well-known news site founded back in 2022 by Ben Smith, former editor-in-chief of BuzzFeed News and a media columnist for The New York Times, along with Justin Smith, former CEO of Media Group. These are not minor figures in the U.S. media industry. The site is frequently cited in the U.S. and occasionally in our media as well.
But for such a report to appear there specifically—it made me wonder what this information is actually based on. So, I reached out to my sources in Washington, and they confirmed that this is indeed one of the options being considered. Moreover, only those options are being discussed that have already been talked over with the Ukrainian side.
This made me curious—who exactly has been negotiating, and about what? If this is true, then on what basis is it happening? If Zelensky himself approved it, then questions should be directed at him. But if he didn’t, and someone else made decisions and promises on his behalf, then Zelensky should publicly address this issue.
Because this contradicts his previous statements. Which ones? Well, for example, the one where he said he would have rather died in Crimea in 2014 than given it up to the “little green men.” Although, to be fair, he also once said that people should prepare for May barbecues instead of a Russian invasion—and we all know how that turned out.
Alright, let’s go back to the situation revealed by Semafor.
According to two sources familiar with the matter, the Trump administration is indeed considering recognizing Ukraine’s Crimea as Russian territory as part of any future agreement to end Russia’s war against Ukraine. Both sources also claim that U.S. officials are discussing the possibility of asking the United Nations to do the same. They want to push this through the UN Security Council. Moreover, this is actively being discussed today.
The problem is that this would violate virtually everything possible. If this happens and effectively rewards Russia, then China will almost certainly invade Taiwan to claim its own “reward” in an occupation war.
Interestingly, this request to the UN would align Trump’s administration with Russian President Putin’s stance—Putin has long considered Crimea part of Russia and has sought its international recognition, which has never been granted. So, it is quite surprising that such a proposal even surfaced.
Without Ukraine’s approval, this could not have even theoretically been up for discussion.
By the way, this openness to new options—previously unreported—has emerged at a time when Trump is preparing for a phone call with Putin today. Reports indicate that this conversation is scheduled to take place around 5 or 6 PM Kyiv time.
During this call, a potential 30-day ceasefire agreement is expected to be discussed. Trump told journalists on Sunday evening aboard Air Force One that negotiators have already discussed the division of certain assets. Furthermore, sources claim that many territorial issues have also been addressed—and Trump has confirmed this as well.
By the way, Trump has not made any official decisions yet, and these possible steps regarding Crimea are just two of many options his administration is considering as part of its efforts to reach a ceasefire. Semafor reports this, as do sources within his inner circle.
Again, this is not a final decision but merely one of the options on the table.
However, the real question is—on what basis did Crimea even become a topic for discussion? I really want to know who in Ukraine approved this issue for negotiations. Because U.S. officials confirm that they do not discuss anything unless it has already been talked about with the Ukrainians. So, who promised what to Trump’s administration?
The White House, for its part, has refused to comment on this issue. In response to Semafor after the publication of their report, National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes stated that the administration had made no such commitments and that they do not negotiate deals through the media.
If the information were false, the White House would have said so outright.
That’s why I have many questions that I’d like to see answered—especially since sources within U.S. leadership confirm that Crimea was discussed.
At the same time, other reports are surfacing. For example, The New York Times, citing Ukrainian officials, claims that Trump might consider handing over the port of Odesa to Russian control.
I also asked my sources about this, and they say they haven’t heard anything about it. In fact, they insist that this particular issue was not discussed at all.
So, I find it very interesting why The New York Times is reporting this. But let’s be honest—The New York Times is an outlet that is politically opposed to Trump, so they could be playing their own game.
Moreover, let’s not forget that The New York Times once published a report claiming that Ukraine had supplied North Korea—specifically Kim Jong-un—with engines for his ballistic missiles. And here’s the interesting part: it was later revealed that this was complete nonsense, but The New York Times never even apologized. Yet, back then, they also cited “sources.”
My sources also do not confirm this latest information, so it’s very strange that all of these reports are surfacing at the same time. After all, who knows what kind of “sources” The New York Times is relying on?
Additionally, NYT is now discussing a possible scenario where the question is not about punishing Russia for 11 years of aggression against Ukraine, but rather about what kind of compensation Russia might receive. This framing of the issue is shocking. Instead of justice, they’re talking about rewarding the aggressor?
Once again, The New York Times is raising a lot of questions.
On top of that, there are now claims that Trump and Putin could revive the Yalta Conference format, where major powers would redraw Europe’s borders.
But let’s be honest—neither Ukraine nor Europe would ever agree to such terms.
Moreover, it’s important to remember that European countries are part of the UN Security Council, and they would absolutely block anything like this.
So, today I have many questions for the American press, as speculation is emerging amid the ongoing events in Ukraine and the beginning of ceasefire negotiations.
I would be very cautious with all reports right now—verify them whenever possible. As you can see, some information can be checked, while some cannot.
Still, I would like a more transparent position from the Ukrainian authorities. I understand that not everything can be disclosed publicly, but if such issues are indeed being discussed, they must be addressed openly. There must be clarity on what could or could not be part of potential negotiations with Russia.
Otherwise, this could lead to serious consequences within Ukraine. First, Ukrainian society is 100% not ready for this. Second, Ukrainians will not accept it.
Of course, there is always a marginal segment that will agree to anything—even if someone promises that Ukraine will become part of Colombia. Some people will still support it because, unfortunately, there are always fools.
But recognizing Crimea as Russian? I wonder—who could have promised such a thing to Trump’s representatives? Could it have happened, for example, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia?
There are many questions, but so far, no answers. I hope that over time, we will learn the truth. Although, in Ukraine, when information gets out publicly, our officials often backtrack, refuse to acknowledge anything, or outright deny it.
For example, not long ago, it was revealed in a government program that they planned to raise taxes for small business owners next year. The moment this became public and caused an outcry, the government immediately reversed course, saying, “No, no, no, this is all false information.”
This is how it always happens. Whenever something leaks in advance, they always say it’s untrue. But the main thing is that, in the end, it doesn’t happen.
The same goes for Crimea. We will wait for a response from our government. We are closely watching the negotiation process and waiting to see what Trump and Putin will discuss and what they will agree on.
Especially since Trump has already stated that “a lot has already been settled” regarding territories.
Well, we wait for the results and keep track of our government’s promises. That is important, too—because making promises is something they excel at. As for keeping them, well, we’ll see.
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Tags: crimea peace plan peace talks Russia russia ukraine war Ukraine US
