President responds to Russia's attempts to persuade the United States to recognize the annexation of Crimea

Zelensky reacted to the Kremlin's behind-the-scenes attempts to get the United States to recognize the annexation of Crimea.

This was reported by the Voice of Crimea.

The invaders are trying to bypass Ukraine to convince the United States to recognize Crimea as Russian territory. This was stated by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting with media representatives on February 7, 2026. The Head of State explained that Moscow deliberately addresses these signals directly to Washington, as it realizes that it is impossible to obtain such consent from Kyiv.

Zelenskyy emphasized that the Kremlin is seeking a kind of reward for its aggression, but stressed that no agreements that contradict Ukrainian law or the Constitution will be supported by our country.

This position was reinforced by Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga, who called any potential decisions to recognize Russia's sovereignty over the occupied territories legally null and void. According to the Foreign Minister, such a step would not only grossly violate international law, but would also set a catastrophic precedent for global security. The Ukrainian diplomatic service is convinced that the territorial integrity of the state cannot be subject to compromise.

Such statements by the Ukrainian leadership came amid active discussions about the role of the new US administration in resolving the war. Despite rumors of possible "economic deals" in exchange for territorial concessions, official Kyiv remains adamant that its own lands cannot be traded. Ukraine's position remains unchanged: Crimea is Ukraine, and any attempts to legitimize the occupation of the peninsula behind the backs of the Ukrainian people are doomed to failure.

Катерина Глушко