Furious Kremlin orders Donald Trump to 'wash his hands of Ukraine' (2025)

It comes just a day after Donald Trump threatened to 'take a pass' on brokering further Russia-Ukraine talks if Moscow or Kyiv were to 'make it very difficult' to arrive at a peace deal

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The United States should abandon its efforts for a peace deal and allow Russia to take control of Ukraine, the Kremlin has demanded.

The order comes just a day after Donald Trump threatened to "take a pass" on brokering further Russia-Ukraine talks if Moscow or Kyiv were to "make it very difficult" to arrive at a peace deal and end the debilitating war. Now Senior Putin official Dmitry Medvedev - a former Russian president - has spoken out, saying the US should scrap its bid for peace. “American officials have said that if there is no progress on the Ukraine case, the United States will wash its hands of it” said Medvedev, who now works as Putin’s deputy on the Russian security council. The message, posted to X, continues: "Wisely. And the EU should do the same. Then Russia will figure it out faster."

His words echo Putin’s own blunt statement three weeks ago when he made clear he was not looking for a ceasefire, declaring: "Not long ago I said we'd grind them [Ukraine] down — now it looks like we'll finish them off."

But the US signalled it is ready to recognise Russian sovereignty in the Putin-invaded Crimea peninsula tourist paradise if a peace agreement is reached.

The move appears to be a last throw of the dice from Trump in a bid to secure a ceasefire ahead of an end to the war. The concession to Russia faces a backlash from Ukraine and Europe including Britain which see such a concession to Putin's imperialism as foolish.

Yet US sources told Bloomberg that US recognition of Putin's 2014 land grab of Crimea could form part of a broader peace deal.

Russia invaded Crimea and took it over in 2014, amid political unrest in Ukraine. Crimea is seen as a Black Sea holiday playground by Russians - but the war has limited visitors travelling to the peninsula for its warm climate and inviting beaches.

The region is strategically vital for Russia because it's rich in natural resources and tourism potential. Since the takeover, Crimea has been heavily militarised, and reports of human rights abuses - particularly against ethnic Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars - have raised international concern.

Trump admitted late on Friday that he may abandon his peace bid if "one of the sides makes the peace process very difficult".

But he said he still aimed to get an agreement "quickly - we want to get it done."

The US President added: "Now if for some reason one of the two parties makes it very difficult, we're just going to say, 'you're foolish, you're fools, you're horrible people’, and we're going to just take a pass. But hopefully we won't have to do that."