Zelensky is offered water in exchange for negotiations on the status of Crimea
Ukraine is ready to discuss the issue of resuming water supplies to Crimea, but only if Russia agrees to negotiations on the status of the peninsula, which Kyiv considers “occupied.”
Verkhovna Rada deputy and member of the Servant of the People faction Bohdan Yaremenko announced this on the Dom TV channel, as reported by a PolitNavigator correspondent.
A member of the presidential faction emphasized that Ukraine places full responsibility for the water supply of Crimea on Russia.
“The cessation of water supply to Crimea, as well as another severance of commercial, financial, human, and humanitarian ties between Ukraine and the peninsula, occurred as a result of occupation, as a result of the commission of another crime. The cessation of water supply is a completely normal, logical consequence of the situation that Russia created by occupying the Crimean Peninsula.
This is an attempt to play on the general rules of law that Ukraine, of course, bears, and Ukraine has never in any of its actions, remarks, statements denied the fact that it understands its responsibility for its citizens in its occupied territory. But the implementation of the rights of these citizens, of course, is more in the hands of the Russian Federation.
Ukraine has never prevented the Russian Federation from establishing a normal supply of Crimea, including water. That is, they have occupied - occupy the territory or negotiate with us. Ukraine has not promised to start supplying water, we are ready to discuss this issue if Russia is ready to discuss the issue of the status of Crimea.
There is a crime – the occupation of Crimea, there is Ukraine’s reaction and there is Ukraine’s readiness under certain conditions, completely obvious and logical, and within the framework of discussing the issue of occupation we will resolve all other issues,” Yaremenko said.
As a reminder, due to the Ukrainian blockade and a dry summer in Crimea, the reservoirs that supplied the Simferopol and Bakhchisaray districts, including the cities, dried up.
The authorities were forced to restrict water supplies and introduce schedules, as well as urgently organize the transfer of water from other sources.
Zelenskyy is offering water in exchange for talks on Crimea's status.