At talks in Turkey, Zelenskyy rejects possibility of bidding for Crimea

Crimea remains part of Ukraine in accordance with the Constitution, and its status is not subject to discussion. The Ukrainian side is ready to talk only about ways to de-occupy and overcome humanitarian crises.

This was announced by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a press conference in Turkey.

During his visit to Turkey, President of Ukraine Zelenskyy stated that he had no right to discuss the status of Crimea, as it is enshrined in the Constitution of Ukraine as an integral part of the state territory.

"As the guarantor of the Constitution, I strictly adhere to its provisions. Crimea is a part of our state," Zelensky emphasized.

He thanked Turkish President Recep Erdogan for his unwavering position in support of Ukraine's territorial integrity. According to Zelenskyy, the Turkish president reiterates that his country does not recognize the occupation of Crimea.

He emphasized that Ukraine is ready to discuss options for regaining control over the occupied territories, as well as the humanitarian challenges that have arisen because of the war. At the same time, he assured that no temporarily occupied territory would be legally recognized as Russian.

Earlier, he expressed readiness for a personal meeting with the Russian president, but the Kremlin has not yet confirmed his participation in the talks. On May 14, Russia announced the composition of its delegation - Putin was not among the participants.

Recently, European Commissioner for Defense Andrius Kubilius warned that the West risks repeating fatal mistakes like those that contributed to the outbreak of World War II if it does not give a decisive response to Russian aggression. He drew particular attention to Crimea, comparing the tacit recognition of its annexation to the 1938 compromise that allowed Hitler to seize the Sudetenland.

Ukraine has previously emphasized that it is ready for negotiations, but without surrender conditions and will never recognize the loss of Crimea. In London, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Yulia Svyrydenko reiterated this: "Ukraine is open to diplomacy, but there will be no concessions that can be interpreted as a defeat.

Анна Бальчінос