The expected meeting in London on April 23, at which the ways were to be discussed before the ceasefire in Ukraine, broke through the US position on the status of Crimea. According to CNN, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio refused to participate in negotiations after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy categorically rejected the demand to recognize Crimea in Russian.
According to CNN sources, there was a project of a peace plan developed by Donald Trump on the table. It envisages the recognition of Russian control over the Crimea in exchange for the termination of hostilities on the front line.
On the eve of negotiations, Zelensky publicly confirmed that Ukraine does not recognize the occupation of Crimea under any conditions.
“This is contrary to our constitution. Ukraine does not legally recognize the occupation of Crimea. There is nothing to talk about, ”the President emphasized on April 22.
After that, it turned out that Marco Rubio would not arrive in London, although it was not officially reported. Instead, he spent a telephone conversation with British Foreign Minister David Lemmy, who called "productive" in his post in X (Twitter).
The meeting that was to unite representatives of Ukraine, the United States, Britain, France and Germany did not take place at the ministerial level. According to Sky News, the negotiations were transferred to the level of high -ranking officials of the second echelon, which indicates a serious discrepancy of positions.
The plan prepared by the Trump team has seven points, one of which is the recognition of Crimea as part of Russia. As The Telegraph wrote, it is also considered:
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Ukraine's refusal to NATO membership,
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International Control of the ZPP,
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admission of US companies to mining,
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The gradual removal of sanctions from the Russian Federation.
Against the background of the approximation of the US elections and delays with the help of Ukraine, discussions about the "realistic" truce were intensified in the West. But for Kiev, the preservation of territorial integrity remains a red line, through which even multilateral negotiations are disrupted.