A source close to the talks says the Trump administration is open to officially recognizing Russia’s control of Crimea as part of a larger peace deal to help end the war in Ukraine.
The deal being discussed also includes a ceasefire along the areas where Ukrainian and Russian-backed forces are still fighting. This proposal was shared during a meeting in Paris with Ukrainian and European officials.
The idea was also talked about during a phone call between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Not all details are final yet. More talks between the U.S., Europe, and Ukraine are expected next week in London to work out the remaining parts.
In addition, Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, is expected to meet again with Russian officials to try and get Russia fully on board with the plan.