Ukraine’s allies oppose US push to lift sanctions, recognise Crimea

Ukraine’s allies in Europe have firmly opposed a US proposal during ongoing negotiations to recognise Crimea as Russian territory and lift sanctions on Russia as part of a broader resolution to the Ukrainian conflict.

The diplomats emphasised that the US suggestion to acknowledge Crimea as part of Russia is viewed as an "unrealistic idea" by both Europe and Ukraine, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media. 

This position highlights the deepening divide between European nations and Washington on how to address Russia’s annexation of the peninsula. 

In addition to the Crimea issue, another significant point of contention has emerged regarding the potential lifting of sanctions on Russia. European officials are staunchly opposed to removing these measures before a definitive agreement on resolving the conflict is reached. The US was expected to present a seven-point peace plan during a meeting in London, which included recognising Russian sovereignty over Crimea.

However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy firmly rejected this possibility the day before the talks. Following Zelenskyy's statement that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio cancelled his planned visit to the UK.

Earlier, The Financial Times noted that any US recognition of Russian sovereignty over Crimea could trigger a major diplomatic crisis within the EU and, in particular, NATO - potentially causing deep divisions in the ongoing negotiations.

By Naila Huseynova