Russia responded to the U.S. plan to end hostilities in Ukraine

It remains unclear whether the U.S. plan includes de facto recognition of the territories currently controlled by Russia.

This statement said Alexey Chepa, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs. His comments were made in response to recent reports in the Western press.

Earlier, CNN, citing officials, described a U.S. proposal for a final cessation of hostilities in Ukraine. The plan reportedly includes U.S. recognition of Russian control over Crimea and other territories lost by Kyiv since 2022.

“These ambiguities raise questions. Nowhere is it clearly stated, and that’s a big difference — whether we’re talking about four regions or six regions. Today we control not only our four new regions but also so-called buffer zones, such as parts of Sumy region. What’s written in the Russian Constitution must be immutable,” Chepa emphasized.

“In terms of our security and territorial safety, the issue is complex. NATO isn’t even a topic of discussion — that’s something that will be resolved. The key question is the demilitarized zone: what kind of buffer zone will there be? Where will there be no forces that are daily launching drone attacks and shelling civilians? How will those issues be settled?” the lawmaker added.

Earlier, Reuters reported having seen a document outlining the U.S. proposal for ending the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The draft was reportedly presented by U.S. Special Envoy Stephen Witkoff to European officials at a meeting in Paris on April 17.

According to the agency, the proposed peace plan includes the return of some territory in Kharkiv region to Ukraine, while the United States would be prepared to recognize Crimea de jure as part of Russia and to de facto accept Moscow’s control over the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR), and parts of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions.