Why Zelensky can't and won't give up Crimea
www.bbc.com
Ukraine's leader has ruled out recognising Russian control of the peninsula as part of a Trump peace plan.

[…]

For Trump, Ukraine’s southern peninsula was “lost years ago” and “is not even a part of discussion” in peace talks.

But for Zelensky to renounce Crimea as an indivisible part of Ukraine would be unconscionable.

In the words of opposition MP Iryna Gerashchenko “territorial integrity and sovereignty is a red line for Ukraine and Ukrainians”.

[…]

Putin later admitted hatching the land-grab [the attack on Crimea] in an all-night meeting with his officials days after Ukraine’s pro-Russian leader was ousted in Kyiv.

[…]

Zelensky was adamant that he has no power to give up Crimea: “There’s nothing to talk about here. This is against our constitution.”

Article 2 of the constitution states that Ukraine’s sovereignty “extends throughout its entire territory” which “within its present border is indivisible and inviolable”.

Any change to Ukraine’s territory has to go to a national referendum, which must be authorised by the Ukrainian parliament.

[…]

Crimea along with the rest of Ukraine voted for independence from the collapsing Soviet Union in 1991. It had the status of autonomous republic within and Kyiv allowed Russia to lease the port of Sevastopol as a base for the Black Sea Fleet.

[…]

  • ArbitraryValue@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    825·
    2 days ago

    Any possible negotiated end to the war at this time would involve territorial concessions by Ukraine. Putin himself won’t agree to withdraw from most of the territory occupied since 2022, and even if he is replaced by a new, much less expansionist ruler willing to withdraw from all that territory, the new ruler still won’t give back Crimea.

    • timestatic@feddit.orgEnglish
      2·
      9 hours ago

      I don’t know why this is so heavily downvoted. Russia will not give up all the occupied land. That is just the reality of it. Unless Russia like collapses internally I don’t see the Russian governing elite ever giving up the land they captured willingly. You could call an indefinite ceasefire and not official grant it to them but over time the new borders will just become more and more ingrained

    • corsicanguppy@lemmy.caEnglish
      92·
      2 days ago

      That’s too bad. Until Russia returns crimea and pays reparation for all the damage it caused in this belligerent invasion - in cash or clean land - trade needs to be a challenge.

      • timestatic@feddit.orgEnglish
        1·
        9 hours ago

        Unless a major shift happens Ukraine can fight as long as it wants and more and more people can die. I don’t think its currently and for the foreseeable future realistic for Ukraine to recapture all the land Russia occupied. Thats a sad reality and Ukraine should not be forced to give land away against their will but that reality will at some point catch up to them.

        • ramble81@lemm.eeEnglish
          1·
          9 hours ago

          The “major shift” will be outlasting Putin. That just one old man vs an entire country.