NEW YORK, April 19. /TASS/. US authorities are ready to recognize Crimea as Russian territory within the framework of a peace agreement between Moscow and Kiev, Bloomberg reported, citing sources.
According to the news agency, this move is "the latest signal that President Donald Trump is eager to cement a ceasefire deal" and the settlement in Ukraine.
The sources indicated that "a final decision on the matter hadn’t yet been taken."
The news agency reiterated that in Paris on Thursday, Washington presented its allies with proposals to enable a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, "including an outline of terms to end the fighting and ease sanctions on Moscow in the event of a lasting ceasefire." Additionally, the proposal presumes that all territories liberated by Russia remain under its control. Discussions will continue in London next week.
In March, the Semafor portal reported, citing sources, that the Trump administration is considering officially recognizing Crimea as part of Russia in connection with the Ukraine peace deal. US representatives are also discussing calling on the UN to take a similar step.
After the Western-backed February 2014 coup in Ukraine, Crimea and Sevastopol held a referendum, in which 96.7% of Crimeans and 95.6% of Sevastopol voters chose to secede from Ukraine and join Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the reunification deal on March 18, 2014, which the Federation Council (upper house of the Russian parliament) ratified on March 21, 2014. Despite the convincing results of the referendum, Kiev has refused to recognize Crimea as part of Russia.