Ukraine will never be able to recover the Crimean peninsula, annexed by Russia in 2014, nor become a member of NATO, as Yuri Ushakov, the Kremlin’s international advisor, declared this Sunday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “will not get any of this. Regarding Crimea, it is completely ruled out, by a million percent,” he told Russian public television.
As for NATO, “I also believe that it will not succeed a million percent,” Ushakov added. Even if for Russia the entry of its neighboring country into the Atlantic Alliance is inadmissible, Zelensky proposes to let, at least, the door open for a future entry into the block, which the White House opposes.
Ushakov also rejected in advance the changes made by the Ukrainians and Europeans to the initial peace plan presented by the United States. “If the corresponding changes occur, We will have very strong objections”, he declared, recalling that Moscow “explained its position very clearly” during the last meeting with the White House emissaries: Steve Witkoff and Yared Kushner.
“The contribution of Ukrainians and Europeans in these roles will hardly be constructive. That is the problem,” he noted. He added that these objections can concern “many points”. “There will be clauses that are absolutely unacceptable to usincluded in the territorial question,” he explained.
“The territorial issue was actively discussed in Moscow. And the Americans not only know, but understand our position. I don’t know what will come out on paper after these consultations. But that won’t be a good thing.” pointed out.
Ushakov also denied that Russia and the United States approached each other a Korean variation for the solution of the conflict in Ukraine. “Never. We discussed different variants regarding a lasting settlement, but echoing the Korean issue was never discussed,” he said.
Withdrawal of troops in Donbass
On Friday, Ushakov expressed his willingness to agree to a withdrawal of Russian and Ukrainian troops from the entire Donbas, where security would fall to Russian National Guard forces. “It is very possible that there are no troops there, neither Russian nor Ukrainian.. Yes, but there will be the National Guard, our police, everything necessary to guarantee public order,” he told the newspaper. Kommersant during a visit to Turkmenistan.
However, he stressed that “there will be a ceasefire only after the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops.” The demilitarization of Donbass is one of the possible options. The United States reshuffles to convince Kyiv give up the 20% it still controls in the Donetsk region.
Foreign policy advisers, including those from Washington and kyiv, will meet this weekend on a possible ceasefire in Ukraineas reported by Efe from government circles in the German capital. The American newspaper The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) also previously assured that President Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, who is negotiating a possible peace deal with Ukraine and Russia, would be in Berlin on Sunday and Monday. In turn, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, invited to Berlin on Monday to “many” heads of state and Europeans, to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and leaders of the NATO community and institutions.
Zelensky explained that the United States proposes withdrawal as commitment Ukrainian troops from the part of the territory they still control in Donetsk, while Russian troops should not enter this “demilitarized zone” or “free economic zone”.
In an attempt to show that Russia is not winning the war, Zelensky appeared this week on the outskirts of the Ukrainian stronghold of Kupianskin the Kharkiv region, which Russian President Vladimir Putin assured was entirely taken by his troops.
About The Author
