Zelenskyy Reaffirms Ukraine’s Stance on Crimea Despite U.S. Criticism

(MENAFN) Ukrainian Leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed recent objections from the United States on Wednesday regarding Ukraine’s unwavering stance on the Russian occupation of Crimea.

The criticism followed remarks by U.S. Leader Donald Trump, who claimed on his Truth Social platform that Zelenskyy's firm position of excluding Crimea from peace negotiations with Moscow is "very harmful" to the diplomatic process.

Trump emphasized that "nobody is asking Zelenskyy to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory." However, he questioned Ukraine’s actions in the past, saying, "if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?"
Responding to these comments, Zelenskyy reiterated his position during a press briefing in Kyiv on Tuesday.

He emphasized that there can be “nothing to talk about” regarding Crimea because any concession would violate Ukraine’s constitutional principles.

Further addressing Trump’s comments in a post on X, Zelenskyy reaffirmed that “Ukraine will always act in accordance with its Constitution,” and expressed confidence that allies, especially the United States, would uphold their commitments based on past resolutions.

The Ukrainian leader also attached an image of the 2018 Crimea Declaration, a formal statement by then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

The document asserts the U.S. refusal to acknowledge Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and declares that the United States “pledges to maintain this policy until Ukraine’s territorial integrity is restored.”

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