US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were served a specially prepared Crimean Tatar menu while traveling by train to Kyiv, a gesture highlighting Ukraine’s claim to the Russian-occupied peninsula. Ukrainian Railways said the dishes represented an “integral part of Ukraine’s cultural heritage.” The envoys arrived in Kyiv on Sunday after talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow as Washington tries to revive negotiations to end the war. Crimea has been under Russian occupation since 2014, when Moscow illegally annexed the peninsula after a disputed referendum. Crimean Tatar leaders have strongly opposed any international recognition of Russian sovereignty there. The symbolism comes amid continuing disputes over territory in US-led peace efforts. In a TIME magazine interview published on April 25, 2025, President Donald Trump said that “Crimea will stay with Russia.” Ukraine has repeatedly rejected formally ceding occupied territory to Moscow.
