Kremlin hails Trump’s stance on Crimea

(MENAFN) The Kremlin has welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent remarks about Crimea, noting that his view reflects Russia’s long-standing position on the matter. Speaking on Thursday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Trump’s statement—that Ukraine lost Crimea "years ago"—is fully in line with Moscow’s perspective.

Trump made the comment after criticizing Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky for impeding the peace process by refusing to consider recognizing Crimea as Russian territory. The U.S. president warned that such resistance could lead to Ukraine “losing the whole country.”

“This completely matches our view and what we have consistently stated,” Peskov said during a press briefing.

Crimea, which has a majority ethnic Russian population, voted to rejoin Russia in a 2014 referendum following what Moscow calls a Western-backed coup in Kiev. Although the U.S. peace proposal has not been officially released, reports indicate it may include recognizing Crimea as part of Russia.

Zelensky’s firm stance against recognizing the region’s new status has drawn criticism from Trump, who believes Ukraine must face the reality of the situation to avoid greater losses.

Russia has repeatedly stated that the statuses of Crimea and four other regions that joined Russia after 2022 referendums are non-negotiable. According to Moscow, any lasting peace must be based on acknowledgment of these facts.

Peskov also confirmed that Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, may meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday.

Previously, Peskov emphasized that a peace deal is unlikely to be reached quickly, due to the complexity of the situation. He reiterated that while Moscow is open to negotiations, any agreement must offer a long-term resolution, rather than a temporary truce that could allow Ukraine’s Western supporters to rearm its forces.

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