Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev transferred Crimea from Russia to Ukraine in 1954, when both were part of the USSR, to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the unification of Moscow and Kyiv. In 1991, when the Soviet Union collapsed, the peninsula became part of newly independent Ukraine.

The war between Russia and Ukraine may be nearing its end. There is a real chance for peace if both sides agree to specific steps, said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to The Guardian. Rubio emphasized that the war in Ukraine is "end-able".

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he was hopeful a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine can be reached soon but expressed doubt that any deal could materialize within a week, he said on April 23 in an interview with the Honestly podcast.

Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said in a new interview that the United States proposal for a peace deal with Ukraine is “moving in the right direction,” but there are still details that

Trump issued an unusually direct message to Russian President Putin, urging him to "STOP!" attacks on Ukraine.