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U.S. says Russia‑Ukraine peace depends on both sides; Crimea may be part of talks, spokesperson says
Summary
At a State Department briefing, a spokesperson said ending the Russia‑Ukraine war requires agreement by both parties and that any concessions, including over Crimea, would be negotiated as part of a broader settlement; the United States declined to parse other officials' remarks about sovereignty.
At a State Department briefing, a State Department spokesperson said the United States views an end to the Russia‑Ukraine war as achievable only if both Russia and Ukraine agree to terms, and that negotiations over territory such as Crimea would be part of that process.
The spokesperson said, "this war is endable," and added that any settlement would require concessions from both sides and would depend on a ceasefire before detailed terms are negotiated. The spokesperson also declined to assign a meaning to recent remarks by other U.S. officials, saying it was not the briefing’s role to parse statements made elsewhere.
Why it matters: Crimea’s status has been a central and sensitive point in international discussions. Any U.S. approach that treats territorial issues as negotiable would mark a departure from previous policy stances that rejected Russian sovereignty over territory taken in 2014. The spokesperson repeatedly stressed that ultimate decisions rest with Russia and Ukraine, not with the United States.
Details from the briefing: The spokesperson read and summarized a message President Trump posted on Truth Social noting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s public position about Crimea, and said the president’s message had complicated ongoing diplomacy. The spokesperson said Secretary Rubio and the president had discussed possible paths to peace in the Oval Office and that the administration is conveying frameworks while leaving the ultimate outcome to the parties.
The briefing emphasized that negotiators have better contact with Russian counterparts now than they did during earlier years and that officials remain hopeful, but cautioned that if the sides are "just too far apart" the U.S. may shift priorities. The spokesperson also said details of concessions would not be discussed publicly until a ceasefire produced the conditions for more concrete bargaining.
What was not decided: The briefing contained no formal U.S. policy change announced at the podium, and the spokesperson declined to adopt or reinterpret statements made by other officials in different venues.
Forward look: The spokesperson said talks and diplomatic engagement will continue and that progress will depend on movement by both Russia and Ukraine.
