Zelensky: Russia wants US to recognize Crimea as Russian

The president announced this during a conversation with journalists, according to a Ukrinform correspondent.

“I believe that Russia is most likely sending a signal to America to recognize Crimea. Understanding that Ukraine will not recognize it,” Zelensky said.

In this context, he stressed that the end of the war must be dignified and stable, “without creating new risks of war by rewarding the aggressor.”

“We are simply saying that if someone wants to resolve issues concerning us that contradict the Constitution of Ukraine or Ukrainian legislation, Ukraine will not support such agreements,” the president emphasized.

As reported, UN Secretary-General António Guterres ruled out applying the principle of the self-determination of nations to Crimea and the Donetsk region. Responding to a question from a Russian journalist about whether the UN could consider the case of Crimea and the Donetsk region as ones to which this principle should be applied, Guterres noted that there are two crucial principles. The first principle is the territorial integrity of states. The other principle is the self-determination of peoples.