President's Office not ruling out negotiations on Crimea with Russia when Armed Forces of Ukraine reach its borders
Andrii Sybiha, one of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's advisors, has said that Ukraine is ready to discuss the future of Crimea with Russia when the Armed Forces reach the border of the Russian-occupied peninsula.
Source: Sybiha in an interview with the Financial Times
Quote: "If we will succeed in achieving our strategic goals on the battlefield and when we will be on the administrative border with Crimea, we are ready to open [a] diplomatic page to discuss this issue…"
Details: It is noted that his words were "the clearest statement of interest in negotiations with Russia" since April 2022.
In addition, Sybiha's words may reassure Western officials who are "sceptical about Ukraine's ability to bring back control over the peninsula and fear that any attempt to do so militarily could push Russian President Vladimir Putin to escalate the war, possibly with the use of nuclear weapons."
For now, President Zelenskyy has ruled out peace talks with Russia until Russian troops leave the entire territory of Ukraine, including Crimea.
"It doesn't mean that we rule out the way of liberation [of Crimea] by our army."
Sybiha deals with foreign policy issues at the Office of the President.
He said that the president and his aides are now talking about Crimea, as the Ukrainian army is approaching the start of a counteroffensive.
Zelenskyy's press secretary did not respond to the FT's requests for comment.
Background:
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that the Armed Forces of Ukraine cannot yet start a counteroffensive, which was planned for the spring, because now the defence forces need more weapons.
- Hanna Maliar, Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Defence, has urged Ukrainians to refrain from asking the military when the counteroffensive will take place so as not to distract them from their work.
- Oleksii Reznikov, Minister of Defence of Ukraine, has said that the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is planning to conduct a counteroffensive on several fronts, but it all depends on weather conditions. The Ukrainian troops are also waiting for the "right moment", and Reznikov believes it will happen in April or May.
- With Western weapons and newly created assault units, Ukraine is ready for a decisive spring counteroffensive, but the challenge will be to overcome casualties and keep war-weary troops motivated
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