its president Ukrainian, Vladimir Zelenskysaid yesterday Friday that the liberation of the peninsula is inevitable Crimeawhich Russia annexed in 2014.

“The world should know that respect and order will return to international relations only when the Ukrainian flag returns to Crimea – when it becomes free,” Zelensky said in a video message distributed by the office of the President of Ukraine.

Earlier, in a video meeting with Muslim military personnel, including representatives of the Crimean Tatars, Zelensky said: “The liberation of Crimea is inevitable not only for Ukraine, but for the whole world. I am convinced of this.”

Lula da Silva’s statement

Crimean Tatars are the indigenous Muslims of the peninsula, many of whom fled the region for fear of political persecution by the Russians.

With this stance, Zelenskiy rejected an offer from Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who argued that Kyiv could cede the Crimean peninsula to Russia as part of a peace agreement with Moscow to end the war.

A few days ago, one of the associates of the President of Ukraine left such a possibility open. Andriy Sibiga, deputy head of the Ukrainian presidential administration, told the Financial Times that Kyiv would be “open” to talks on Crimea if the planned counteroffensive by the Ukrainian military hits its targets.

“If we achieve our strategic goals on the battlefield and reach the administrative borders of Crimea, we are ready to open a diplomatic network to discuss this issue,” Sibikha replied to a related question about the future of the peninsula.

^{Source: APE – MEB, dpa}