Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested halting the invasion of Ukraine along the current lines, as he attempts to strike a potential peace agreement with United States President Donald Trump, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday, citing sources.
According to sources, Putin told US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff during their meeting that Moscow might be open to giving up claims on four partly occupied Ukrainian regions.
The sources added that following these ideas, Washington has put forward a proposal for Crimea to be recognized as Russia's territory. Meanwhile, European officials allegedly remained cautious about accepting such deals, as they believe Putin could use this as a green light to make more requests. "There is a lot of pressure on Kiev right now to give up on things so Trump can claim victory," one official commented.