
The Trump administration is scaling back efforts to investigate Russian war crimes in Ukraine – WP
23.04.2025 07:08
U.S. Secretary of State Rubio will not attend the talks in London due to Zelensky’s rejection of U.S. proposals on Crimea
23.04.2025 08:14The United States wants to hear Ukraine’s response at the London talks to the previously presented seven-point peace plan.
This was reported by The Telegraph, citing sources.
According to the sources, the plan includes:
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An immediate ceasefire along the front line;
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Direct negotiations between Ukraine and Russia;
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Ukraine abandoning its intention to join NATO (EU membership would still be allowed);
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The U.S. would recognize Russia’s legal sovereignty over Crimea, as well as de facto Russian control over other occupied Ukrainian territories. At the same time, Russia would withdraw its troops from “two small areas” in the Kherson region, and Ukraine would be granted free navigational access to the mouth of the Dnipro River;
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U.S. control over the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, with electricity supplied to both Ukraine and Russian-occupied territories;
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A mining agreement between Ukraine and the United States;
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Full removal of all U.S. sanctions on Russia imposed since 2014.
The plan does not include any U.S. security guarantees — neither for Ukraine nor for any European peacekeeping contingent that might be deployed after the war. The Telegraph notes that UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has previously opposed sending peacekeepers without U.S. protection guarantees in the event of a Russian attack.
“This plan would be a bitter pill for Ukraine, as it would lose territory without gaining any clear U.S. security guarantees. Ukrainian officials told The Telegraph they are skeptical about any real progress toward a peace deal,” the paper reports.
The Telegraph also questions whether Putin would agree to even the limited territorial concessions envisioned in the plan, given current Russian control.
Meanwhile, the U.S. outlet Axios confirms that the U.S. wants to hear Ukraine’s reaction in London to the “one-page” peace proposal previously presented to Kyiv in Paris.
The points listed by Axios match those reported by The Telegraph.
“The one-page document, presented by the U.S. to Ukrainian officials in Paris last week, is described as President Trump’s ‘final offer.’ The White House insists it is prepared to walk away from negotiations if no deal is reached soon,” writes Axios.
A source close to the Ukrainian government told Axios that Kyiv sees Trump’s peace proposal as extremely one-sided in favor of Russia: “The proposal clearly outlines the tangible benefits for Russia but only vaguely refers to what Ukraine would get.”
According to Axios, the plan allows for European peacekeepers to be stationed in Ukraine after a ceasefire, but offers no American security guarantees — something both London and Paris require before deploying their forces.
Furthermore, after President Zelensky indicated yesterday that Ukraine is only willing to discuss a ceasefire in London — not Trump’s broader peace plan — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio canceled his trip to the talks. Only Trump’s special representative, Keith Kellogg, will attend.
After hearing Ukraine’s response, Trump’s other envoy, Stephen Witkoff, is expected to travel to Moscow to present the plan to Putin.
“And although Russian President Vladimir Putin is reportedly willing, according to the Financial Times, to freeze current front lines to reach a deal, he has previously rejected other elements of the U.S. plan — such as European peacekeepers on Ukrainian soil,” Axios adds.





