MOSCOW. April 24 (Interfax) - U.S. President Donald Trump's comment on Ukraine's loss of Crimea fully corresponds to the Russian stance on the issue, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
"This fully corresponds to our understanding and to what we have been saying for a long time. This is all I can say," Peskov told the press on Thursday.
Trump said earlier that "Crimea was lost [by Ukraine] years ago" and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky's refusal to recognize Crimea as Russian territory harmed the negotiations on ending the Ukraine conflict.
As to media reports regarding the possible U.S. recognition of Crimea as Russian territory as part of the so-called Ukraine conflict settlement deal, Peskov said the Kremlin cannot and does not want "to comment on any leaks regarding assumed details of the assumed [settlement] plan."
"Once again, the work is ongoing. We can only speak for ourselves. We seek to continue the settlement process and appreciate the mediating efforts of the U.S. side," Peskov said.