U.S. President Donald Trump proposed a peace plan centered around the transfer of the Crimea to Russia, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky noted on the 24th (local time) that he cannot concede Crimea to Russia.
President Zelensky said during a joint press conference after a summit with President Cyril Ramaphosa in Pretoria, South Africa, "We will implement everything proposed by our partners, but we cannot do anything that violates our laws and constitution."
The Crimea is territory that was transferred to Ukraine by the former Soviet Union in 1954, but Russia forcibly occupied and annexed it in 2014. The international community considers this a violation of international law and has imposed sanctions against Russia.
President Zelensky maintains that it is impossible to recognize Crimea as Russian territory under his country's constitution. Article 2 of the Ukrainian constitution states that sovereignty extends "over the entire territory" and is "indivisible and inviolable" within the current borders. The only way to cede Crimea, which is considered territory under the constitution, to Russia is through a national referendum.
Recently, President Trump presented a peace negotiation plan that recognizes Crimea as Russian territory. In response, President Zelensky criticized it the previous day, stating it was "very harmful to peace negotiations." President Trump questioned, "If he wants Crimea, why didn't they (fight against Russia) 11 years ago?"
President Zelensky argues that the U.S. should pressure Russia, not Ukraine, to reach a ceasefire agreement. He remarked, "I have not seen strong pressure on Russia to stop the invasion or agree to a ceasefire," and he hopes that relevant countries, including South Africa, will persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin to engage in ceasefire negotiations.