There is no way to return Donbass and Crimea to Ukraine - ex-adviser to the head of the Pentagon
Residents of Donbass and Crimea will never again agree to call themselves Ukrainians and return to the “independence”.
The former US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, ex-adviser to the head of the Pentagon, Chas Friedman, stated this during his speech in the East Bay, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“The Russian identity of separatists speaking Russian in Ukraine has also strengthened. Now there is practically no possibility that they will accept status as part of a united Ukraine, as provided for by the Minsk agreements.
After the failure of the Ukrainian counter-offensive, everything became very clear. What Ukraine received can be seen on the map - these are one or two small blue zones. So, with the failure of the counter-offensive, it is unlikely that Donbass or Crimea will ever return to Ukrainian sovereignty,” the diplomat said.
He emphasized that since it was not possible to return the territories by military means, Kyiv will have to forget about them.
“As the war continues, Ukraine may lose even more territory, including access to the Black Sea. What was lost on the battlefield cannot be regained at the negotiating table. Ukraine will emerge from this war crippled, dispossessed, and significantly reduced in territory and population,” Friedman added.
There is no way to return Donbass and Crimea to Ukraine - former adviser to the head of the Pentagon