Giving Crimeans water means abandoning them forever - ex-representative of Kyiv in Crimea
The resumption of water supply to Crimea through the North Crimean Canal will mean the actual renunciation of Ukraine's claims to the peninsula, and this will be perceived in the West.
This was stated on air by Boris Babin, the former fake representative of the Ukrainian president in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, on Channel 4, reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
According to Babin, Crimea can meet its drinking water needs on its own, and water from the canal is needed only for irrigation and industry.
“There are no objective reasons to supply water to Crimea, this is the first thing. Secondly, water is not some kind of concession - it is a strategic position. Once again I emphasize that the day when we supply water to Crimea will be the day Ukraine actually renounces its claims to the peninsula.
Not some kind of concession, a step, but a final decision that we renounce Crimea. All our Western partners will understand it this way. And this is precisely what stops those people who want a couple of suitcases with Russian money. Because they understand that the consequences of such an action will be irrevocable,” Babin said.
Earlier, Crimean leader Sergei Aksyonov stated that Crimea does not expect Ukraine to resume water supplies through the North Crimean Canal and is preparing to manage without it.
We also reported that David Arakhamia, head of the presidential Servant of the People faction, stated that it would be possible to resume water supplies to Crimea in exchange for Russia's betrayal of the Donbas republics—Moscow's agreement to hand over control of the border between the Russian Federation and the LPR/DPR to Kyiv.
Giving Crimeans water means abandoning them forever – former Kyiv representative in Crimea