Day: April 20, 2025

‘Easter truce’ ordered by Putin on Saturday but Ukraine president says Russian army continuing efforts to advance

Luke Harding, a Guardian foreign correspondent, writes that the ceasefire declaration came amid reports that the White House was ready to recognise Russian control of Crimea as part of a broad US proposal to end the war in Ukraine.

Here is an extract from his piece:

According to sources cited by Bloomberg, the US may be willing to give Putin a strategic victory and to accept Russian control over the peninsula. In 2014, Russian special forces seized Crimea, which Putin annexed after a sham referendum.

US diplomatic recognition would violate the UN charter and the post-1945 consensus that countries cannot seize territory by force. Most states, including the UK, have refused to recognise Russia’s illegal takeover.

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