Donald Trump is considering recognising the occupied peninsula of Crimea as Russian, aligning with Vladimir Putin, it has been claimed.
Russia illegally annexed the Ukrainian land in 2014 after the pro-Russian president of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych, was ousted following pro-Europe protests. It has since been used as a staging post to support Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine.
Two sources familiar with the discussions told the US news site Semafor that the Trump administration is considering recognising this illegal annexation, though it is one of many options being discussed. Administration officials have also discussed the possibility of the US encouraging the United Nations to do the same.
National security council spokesperson Brian Hughes told the site that the administration has “made no such commitments”.
Meanwhile, Mr Trump claims that “many elements” of a Ukraine peace deal have been agreed upon ahead of his planned phone call with Mr Putin later today. The call is expected to take place between 1 pm and 3 pm.
Meanwhile, Ukraine is withdrawing from the Russian border region of Kursk after Moscow launched a rapid counteroffensive.
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Key Points
- Ahead of call with Putin, Trump says many elements agreed, 'much remains'
- Kremlin says Putin and Trump to speak between 1pm and 3pm GMT
- Trump administration considering recognising Crimea as Russian, claims report
- Mapped: Russia's frontline and it's illegal annexation of Crimea
- What's happening in Kursk?
Mapped: US considers recognising Crimea as Russian
08:20
,
Tom Watling
Russia says it will discuss joining space exploration with Elon Musk
11:29
,
Tom Watling
The head of Russia’s foreign investment fund has claimed that he will soon meet with Elon Musk to discuss space exploration.
Russian state media is quoting Kirill Dmitriev, Vladimir Putin’s special envoy on international economic and investment cooperation, as saying that he had also discussed with the head of Roscomos, Russia’s state space agency, the possibility of working with the US on flights to Mars.
“Russia sees big prospects to work with the United States, including in the space sector, and expects to hold talks with Elon Musk soon about flying to Mars,” he is reported as saying.
Dmitriev participated in the peace talks between Russia and the US, after which both sides announced their intention to improve ties.
Musk has not commented on claims about a meeting.
How ‘MAGA turned the Republican Party into an ‘arm of the Kremlin’
11:15
,
Tom Watling
Mapped: Russia's counteroffensive in Kursk
10:53
,
Tom Watling
Below you can see the latest maps of the situation in the Russian border region of Kursk, where Moscow’s troops are forcing out the Ukrainian forces that have partially held the area since last August.
The salient collapsed after Russia cut off the final supply line connecting Ukraine’s troops in Kursk to the mainland.
Ukrainian troops withdraw from Kursk amid ‘huge swarms’ of drones
10:39
,
Tom Watling
Kremlin says Putin-Trump call is just one in a painstaking chain to improve relations
10:23
,
Tom Watling
The Kremlin has claimed that today’s conversation with Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin will be just one in a chain of painstaking efforts to improve relations, according to quotes published by state media site Tass.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov says the two leaders will not talk about global restructuring and a “new Yalta”, a reference to the postwar reorganisation of Germany after World War II.
He added that Russia has not yet chosen a chief negotiator with the US. Putin’s foreign secretary Sergei Lavrov led the talks with the US in Saudi Arabia last month.
Russian drone debris discovered in school courtyard in Kyiv
10:12
,
Tom Watling
The burning remains of a Russian drone were found in the courtyard of a school in Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv, the emergency services have reported.
Ukraine’s air forces said Russia launched 137 drones across the country overnight. They shot down 63 of them.
The courtyard was examined by sappers and explosives technicians.
#Київ: рятувальники ДСНС ліквідували наслідки падіння уламків ворожого БпЛА
— DSNS.GOV.UA (@SESU_UA) March 18, 2025
На території однієї зі столичних шкіл виявили палаючі залишки російського безпілотника. Вогнеборці ліквідували займання. Сапери ДСНС та вибухотехніки Нацполіції ретельно обстежили територію. pic.twitter.com/ZliKxWPZHB
US medic says Trump’s talk is more traumatic than horrors of frontline
10:05
Ukraine can achieve just and lasting peace under Trump, says foreign minister
09:51
Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said on Tuesday that Kyiv was not the obstacle for a peace deal with Russia and believes it can achieve just and lasting peace under the leadership of US president Donald Trump.
Ukraine was waiting for clarity to emerge on the peace process after the conversation between Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, expected later on Tuesday, Sybiha said during an annual geopolitical conference in New Delhi
Trump has been trying to get Putin to agree to a 30-day ceasefire proposal that Ukraine accepted last week but Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has also consistently said Ukraine's sovereignty is not negotiable and that Russia must surrender the territory it has seized.
“We are not the obstacle to achieving peace ... we really expect from Russian side unconditional yes for ceasefire,” Sybiha said during a panel discussion.
Kremlin says Putin and Trump to speak between 1pm and 3pm GMT
09:42
,
Tom Watling
Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump will hold a phone call between 1300 and 1500 GMT on Tuesday to talk about settling the Ukraine conflict and normalising relations between Russia and the United States, the Kremlin said.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there was already a "certain understanding" between the two leaders, based on a phone call they held on February 12 and on subsequent high-level contacts between the two countries.
"But there are also a large number of questions regarding the further normalisation of our bilateral relations, and a settlement on Ukraine. All of this will have to be discussed by the two presidents," Peskov told reporters.
"The leaders will speak for as long as they deem necessary," he said.
Ukraine ceasefire deal: What to know as Russia demands Kyiv excluded from Nato
09:31
,
Tom Watling
The $300 billion question: What to do with Russia’s frozen central bank money?
09:21
,
Tom Watling
Mapped: Russia's attack in Donetsk
09:09
,
Tom Watling
What to expect as Trump and Putin thrash out a ceasefire in Ukraine
09:00
,
Tom Watling
Trump administration considering recognising Crimea as Russian, claims report
08:49
,
Tom Watling
US president Donald Trump is considering recognising the occupied peninsula of Crimea as Russian, aligning with Mr Putin, it has been claimed.
Russia illegally annexed the Ukrainian land in 2014 after the pro-Russian president of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych, was ousted following pro-Europe protests. It has since been used as a staging post to support Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine.
Two sources familiar with the discussions told the news site Semafor that the Trump administration is considering recognising this illegal annexation, though it is one of many options being discussed.
Administration officials have also discussed the possibility of the US encouraging the United Nations to do the same.
National security council spokesperson Brian Hughes told the site that the administration has “made no such commitments”.
Ukraine and Russia have conditions that could affect a ceasefire. What are they willing to concede?
08:43
,
Tom Watling
In pictures: Eastern Ukrianian town hit by Russian strikes
08:32
,
Tom Watling
Russia launch more than 100 drones across Ukraine
08:22
,
Tom Watling
Russia launched 137 drones across Ukraine in an overnight attack, Kyiv's air force said on Tuesday.
Ukrainian air defences destroyed 63 of them and another 64 were "locationally lost" without causing damage, the air force added, a reference to drones diverted by electronic jamming.
Ukraine’s troops vastly outnumbered and facing ‘huge swarms’ of Russian drones in Kursk retreat
08:19
,
Tom Watling
08:00
,
Rubio calls on Russia to match Ukraine's commitment to ceasefire
US secretary of state Marco Rubio has said Washington is hoping that Russian can agree to "freeze" the conflict with a ceasefire, matching the pledge from Kyiv.
"We got a good commitment from Ukraine last week," he told "The Guy Benson Show" on Fox News Radio last night.
"They agreed to stop shooting and freeze everything where it is, and we can get to talking about how to end this permanently. And now we got to get something like that from the Russians," Mr Rubio said.
"We'll know more tomorrow after the president speaks to Putin. And hopefully we’ll be in a better place,” the US secretary of state said.
Ukraine waiting for Putin’s response today, says foreign minister
07:41
,
Arpan Rai
Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha has said Kyiv is hoping to get clarity on peace talks after the scheduled call today between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.
“Ukraine is not the obstacle to achieving peace, let’s see what Putin's response is,” Mr Sybiha said in New Delhi while attending the Raisina Dialogue.
Mr Sybiha said Ukraine is ready to implement outcomes of the Saudi Arabia meeting where the Ukrainian delegation met with the US delegation and agreed on a temporary ceasefire for 30 days.
“We believe with the Trump presidency, Ukraine can achieve a just and lasting peace,” Mr Sybiha said.
He reiterated that Ukrainian sovereignty is non-negotiable. "No third country has the right to block our choice to join any unions or alliances — that remains our principled stance," he said.
Trump will have 'very productive call' with Putin, US intel chief says
07:25
,
Arpan Rai
Donald Trump will have a “very productive call” with Vladimir Putin, the US president’s intelligence chief has said.
US director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said that while the negotiations to end Russia's war with Ukraine have just begun, Mr Trump is "looking forward to success".
"Under the previous administration, during which this war began, there was no effort, there was no effort at all towards peace. There was no effort to have direct dialogue with Putin and with Russia to try to bring about an end to this war. So already in a very short period of time, President Trump has made much more progress towards peace than any effort that has occurred by anyone, previously," Ms Gabbard said in an interview with India's NDTV.
"I'm sure that President Trump will have a very productive conversation with Putin, once again, rooted in his unwavering commitment to peace,” she said.
What to expect as Trump and Putin thrash out a ceasefire in Ukraine
07:11
,
Arpan Rai
The Kremlin has confirmed that Vladimir Putin will speak on the phone to Donald Trump today. The White House says Ukraine’s president Zelensky will come to Washington on Friday. Peace – or at least a ceasefire – seems very likely soon.
But never forget, the devil is in the details – and a hastily cobbled-together deal could be very fragile. There will be hardliners on either side who don’t want to give peace a chance.
Let’s consider what might be in a deal agreeable to Trump and Putin – and swallowable by Zelensky.
Mark Almond writes:
Trump-Putin call: What are Ukraine's demands for peace?
07:06
,
Arpan Rai
Days after Volodymyr Zelensky agreed to a 30-day ceasefire deal and left the ball in Russia’s court, Vladimir Putin is set to have his first official phone call with Donald Trump for peace negotiations.
Where does Kyiv stand with its list of requirements from the process?
- Facing setbacks along the 1,000-kilometres (620-mile) front, Ukraine has backed away from demanding that its state borders be returned to pre-2014 lines, because it does not have the military force capable of reaching that end.
- Ukraine refuses to cede more territory to Moscow, including in partially occupied regions that Russia claims it has annexed.
- One of Ukraine's core demands is the return of children illegally deported to Russia – a suspected war crime that has been brought to the ICC – and thousands of civilians detained in Russian prisons.
- Ukraine is asking for a peace deal cemented with security guarantees from international allies that will ensure Russia is never able to invade again.
- In lieu of Nato membership – long-sought by Kyiv but appearing nearly impossible without US backing – what those guarantees might look like is taking shape in parallel talks led by France and Britain. A "coalition of the willing" envisions European boots on the ground and a strong military response if Russia were to launch a new offensive.
- Mr Zelensky has insisted the Ukrainian army be strengthened to withstand future Russian offensives, a costly endeavour that will require quick and consistent support from international allies.
- A stockpile of weapons, capable of doing serious damage to Russian assets, is another demand. Kyiv also wants to bolster its domestic arms industry to lessen its reliance on allies, a reality that has set Ukrainian forces back throughout the war.
Putin could use Trump call to 'create noise', experts warn
06:26
,
Arpan Rai
Donald Trump, who promised as a presidential candidate to end the Ukraine war in 24 hours, faces an important landmark in that effort today as he has a phone call with Vladimir Putin.
"There's a danger that [Putin] will try to basically create more noise in this conversation with President Trump, pretending to agree on something while at the same time demanding more and more concessions on the Ukrainian side," said Maria Snegovaya, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based policy research organisation.
"The worst case scenario is that Putin is successful selling some sort of promising lucrative future deal with Russia to Trump," she said.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Mr Putin of prolonging the war, noting that when the Russian leader speaks to Mr Trump today, he will have been aware of the 30-day ceasefire proposal for a week.
The Ukrainian leader, pushed into agreeing to the US-proposed ceasefire deal after Mr Trump withdrew military and intelligence-sharing support, has warned his allies that Mr Putin does not abide by the agreements he makes.
Photos: Daily life in Ukraine's Donetsk
06:05
,
Arpan Rai
Russia 'relocating its fighter jets' after Ukraine unveils new cruise missile capable of hitting Moscow
05:45
,
Arpan Rai
Russia is moving its military aircraft to new bases further away from Ukraine, including from an airbase near Moscow, after Ukraine successfully tested its new long range Neptune cruise missile, a former Ukraine Air Force officer has said.
“Since last evening, nothing has happened in Ryazan Oblast, yet the entire Dyagilevo airbase was evacuated. The Russians moved their aircraft out of range, evacuating up to 15 planes. At the Savasleyka airbase, the 'Cover' plan was activated,” former Air Force officer Anatoliy Khrapchynskyi told Ukraine’s Radio NV yesterday.
“Now, we are discussing the ability to deploy Neptune missiles, which have an increased payload and can inflict substantial damage on Russian airfields within a 1,000-kilometre radius,” he said.
On Saturday, Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukraine has successfully tested and added a new cruise missile that can travel over 1,000km (620 miles).
"We have significant results. Long Neptune has been tested and successfully used in combat. A new Ukrainian missile, an accurate strike. The range is a thousand kilometres,” he said over the weekend, indirectly confirming Kyiv now has Moscow within its striking range.
Trump defends White House clash with Zelensky: 'Not an easy situation'
05:37
,
Arpan Rai
Donald Trump has defended his public spat with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office last month, claiming he had to “get Ukraine to do the right thing”.
"A lot of people are being killed over there and we had to get Ukraine to do the right thing. It was not an easy situation," the US president said in fresh remarks at the Kennedy Centre last night.
"You got to see a little glimpse at the Oval Office, but I think they are doing the right thing now, and we are trying to get the peace agreement done. We want to get ceasefire and then a peace agreement,” Mr Trump said.
The meeting at the White House between Mr Trump, vice president JD Vance and the Ukrainian leader escalated into a shouting match in front of the press.
Mr Vance accused the Ukrainian president of being “disrespectful” for coming to the Oval Office to “try to litigate this in front of the American media.”
That’s when Mr Zelensky asked if the vice president had ever been to Ukraine, and then insisted he visit.
Russia says it destroys 46 Ukrainian drones overnight
05:19
,
Arpan Rai
Russia's air defence units destroyed 46 Ukrainian drones overnight, its defence ministry said this morning.
A bulk of Ukrainian drones were downed over the Belgorod region on the border with Ukraine.
The Russian defence ministry said 41 drones were downed over the Belgorod region, and the rest over the territories of the Bryansk, Kursk and Oryol region.
At least one person was injured in the overnight attack and several houses were damaged, Belgorod regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Telegram.
Alexander Bogomaz, the governor of the Bryansk region, which also borders Ukraine, said there were no immediate reports of injuries or damages from the attack.
Putin-Trump call today: What are Russia's demands?
04:35
,
Arpan Rai
Several talking points are lined up ahead of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin’s call today, which the US president says is aimed at ending the Russian invasion inside Ukraine.
What are some of Russia’s key demands?
- When Mr Putin launched his full-scale invasion in February 2022, he demanded Ukraine renounce joining Nato, sharply cut its army, and protect Russian language and culture to keep the country in Moscow's orbit.
- Three years on, he now demands that Kyiv withdraw its forces from the four regions Moscow illegally annexed in September 2022 but never fully occupied – Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.
- He also wants the current war-time president Volodymyr Zelensky, whose term expired last year, gone, wrongly claiming that he lacks legitimacy to sign a peace deal. Kyiv maintains that elections are impossible to hold amid a war. Donald Trump has echoed Mr Putin's view, speaking of the need for Ukraine to hold an election.
- Russian officials have declared that Moscow won't accept troops from any Nato members as peacekeepers to monitor a prospective truce.
- Russian officials have said that any peace deal should involve releasing Russian assets that were frozen in the West and lifting other US and European Union sanctions. The Trump administration has proposed putting potential sanctions relief on the table.
- Along with that, Mr Putin has repeatedly emphasised the need to "remove the root causes of the crisis" – a reference to the Kremlin's demand to roll back a Nato military buildup near Russian borders that it describes as a major threat to its security.
Recap: See inside Ukrainian family homes destroyed by Russian bomb strike
04:00
,
Tara Cobham
Ahead of call with Putin, Trump says many elements agreed, 'much remains'
03:03
,
Arpan Rai
Donald Trump has said he will be speaking to the Russian president Vladimir Putin today in a highly anticipated call aimed at talks on ending the war in Ukraine.
“Tomorrow morning I will be speaking to President Putin concerning the War in Ukraine. Many elements of a Final Agreement have been agreed to, but much remains,” he said in a post on TruthSocial.
He added: “Thousands of young soldiers, and others, are being killed. Each week brings 2,500 soldier deaths, from both sides, and it must end NOW. I look very much forward to the call with President Putin.”
Revealed: Ukraine’s red lines for any peace deal with Putin
03:00
,
Tara Cobham
Ukraine has drawn up a series of red lines as the US tries to hammer out a ceasefire deal with Russia, The Independent understands.
After three years of war, the world is waiting to see if the 30-day plan accepted by Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday will find common ground with Vladimir Putin.
High-level Ukrainian sources briefed on the ongoing talks are warning there is little trust that Russia will accept a reasonable deal, adding: “We expect another trick.”
Chief international correspondent Bel Trew reports:
EU foreign policy chief in London today
02:59
,
Arpan Rai
The UK and the European Union are set to ramp up pressure on Russia and boost defence initiatives, as the EU's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas is meeting foreign minister David Lammy and defence minister John Healey in London today.
The talks will coordinate cooperation on Ukraine and discuss efforts to increase economic pressure on Russia, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said in a statement yesterday.
The discussions will also include stepping up action against hybrid threats such as cyberattacks, election interference and rampant Russian disinformation, the statement said.
Conditions demanded by Russia to agree to a ceasefire show that Moscow does not really want peace, Ms Kallas told reporters in Brussels yesterday.
Ms Kallas and Mr Lammy will also set review efforts to boost European defence spending through 'innovative initiatives' and military readiness in support of Nato.
"It's vital we upgrade our partnership with the EU and work together to bring an end to this war and deliver security of all of our citizens," Mr Lammy said.
Watch: Meet the American medic serving on Ukraine's frontline
02:00
,
Tara Cobham
Ukrainian and Russian energy assets in focus as Trump-Putin talks loom
01:00
,
Tara Cobham
US President Donald Trump said he plans to speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday and discuss ending the war in Ukraine, with concessions being considered around land and "power plants", without giving further details.
Ukraine's energy infrastructure has been the target of large-scale attacks since Russia's invasion in 2022, resulting in blackouts and freezing conditions for millions of people.
Ukraine has retaliated by launching long-range drone attacks on Russian oil refineries, pumping stations and ports used for oil and gas exports.
Trump’s explanation for failing to end Russia-Ukraine war in 24 hours as promised
00:00
,
Tara Cobham
President Donald Trump says he was “being a little bit sarcastic” when he repeatedly claimed on the campaign trail he would have the Russia-Ukraine war solved within 24 hours.
Trump made the rare admission when was asked about the vow he repeatedly made as a candidate - as his administration continues to try to broker a solution almost 60 days into his second term.
“Well, I was being a little bit sarcastic when I said that,” Trump said in a preview of an interview for the Full Measure television program, before it was due to air on Sunday.
Michelle L. Price reports: