Zelenskyy reacts to WSJ article on US proposal to recognise Crimea as Russian
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was asked at a press conference to comment on reports from The Wall Street Journal indicating that the US proposes recognising Crimea as Russian, rejecting Ukraine's aspirations to join NATO, and creating a neutral zone around the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) under US control.
Source: Zelenskyy at a press conference aired by Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne
Quote: "As soon as we start discussing Crimea, our sovereign territories, we enter the format of prolonging the war – this is exactly what Russia wants. We've been at war for 12 years. This is the answer to the question of whether it is possible to reach an agreement with Russia on the territories."
Details: Regarding media reports about the proposal to recognise Crimea as Russian, Zelenskyy noted that "these are signals, ideas, visions, you can call them different names. But these are not official proposals to Ukraine".
Zelenskyy pointed out that it was unclear whose proposals these were – whether they represented the US vision or were the result of the Americans' discussions with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin.
Quote: "But Ukraine does not legally recognise Crimea as Russian, it is outside our Constitution. This is our territory, the territory of the people of Ukraine. This will not happen, I think we've declared this in relation to any temporarily occupied territory. And the Constitution of Ukraine declares this by its existence."
Details: Zelenskyy added that the Ukrainian delegation of senior officials will be mandated to discuss an unconditional or partial ceasefire on 23 April.
"We're ready for this stage. We're also ready to record that after the ceasefire, we're ready to sit down in any format so that there is no impasse," the Ukrainian leader stressed.
Regarding NATO, Zelenskyy is confident that the United States and Russia have a dialogue on NATO membership of Ukraine.
However, "no one except NATO countries has the right to veto Ukraine's accession to the Alliance," he added.
Regarding the Zaporizhzhia NPP, Zelenskyy noted that it cannot operate without Ukraine, emphasising that the United States will need Ukrainian technical staff.
Quote: "If we, together with the United States, rebuild the nuclear power plant when the Russians leave and we earn money from electricity, then this is a normal situation. But there has been no official proposal for the Zaporizhzhia NPP. Ukraine is not against a partnership with America to recover any facility."
Background: The Wall Street Journal noted in an article that the United States is waiting for Kyiv's response, particularly regarding the recognition of Crimea as Russian and Ukraine's refusal to join NATO. In addition, Washington is considering the idea of a neutral territory around the Zaporizhzhia NPP.
Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
12 minutes ago
- USA Today
Republicans, be so for real. This embarrassing government is what you wanted?
Republicans, be so for real. This embarrassing government is what you wanted? | Opinion Is this really what Republicans still want? Are they so scared of trans people having rights or undocumented immigrants receiving due process they chose a government that won't stand up to tyranny? Show Caption Hide Caption Six takeaways from the President Donald Trump, Elon Musk feud From disappointment to threats, here are six takeaways from the public spat between President Donald Trump and Elon Musk. Anyone could have predicted that President Donald Trump's second term was going to be an absolute disaster. I doubt even Republicans realized it would be this bad. Amid Trump's feud with Elon Musk, our tanking economy and our dysfunctional Congress, it seems that the next three and a half years are going to be rough on the country. I have to imagine that some Republican voters have buyer's remorse but would never admit it. I also realize that, for many Republican voters, a chaotic government is better than one that's run by a Democrat. They would rather watch our country become an international laughingstock than vote for someone who would run a stable, albeit more liberal, government. They would rather have millions lose health care than have a Democrats in power. I'll be the first to admit that Kamala Harris wasn't a perfect presidential candidate, but she was competent. She was energetic. She could ensure the country stayed on its course and continued to be a place where people felt secure. We could have had that. And Republicans in Congress would have done their job. Instead, we have this. So, this far into Trump's chaotic reign, I have to ask. Is this really what Republicans wanted? President Donald Trump vs. Elon Musk. Really? In case you missed it, Trump and Musk have gone from inseparable to enemies in a matter of hours. Musk, who was previously charged with leading the Department of Government Efficiency, has gone on X (previously Twitter) to allege that Trump was included in the Jeffrey Epstein files and whine that the Republicans would have lost the election without him. Trump, in response, has threatened to cancel all of Musk's contracts with the federal government. It's almost entertaining, in the way high school drama is entertaining. If only the entire country weren't on the verge of suffering because of it. Opinion: Musk erupts, claims Trump is in the Epstein files. Who could've seen this coming? If Harris had been elected, I doubt she would have made a narcissistic man-child one of her closest advisers in the first place – not just because Musk endorsed Trump, but because he was and continues to be a liability. She wouldn't have created DOGE and then allowed it to be a threat to Americans. Republicans, however, were unwilling to acknowledge the baggage that came with having Musk on their side. Now we have the president of the United States embroiled in a childish social media battle with the world's richest man. Think about how stupid that makes the country look. Is this what Republicans wanted? Is that what they still want? Surely they knew that the Trump-Musk partnership, like many of Trump's alliances, was going to implode. They are so scared of progressivism that they would rather have pettiness and vindictiveness in the White House. The American economy is not doing well. You wanted this? Trump, ever the businessman, has decided that making everything more expensive is what will make our country great again. His tariffs are expected to cost the average family $4,000 this year, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. I thought Republicans were the party of the working class. I thought they were supposed to care about grocery prices and the cost of living. But with the insanity of Trump's tariffs, a cooling job market and tax cuts that protect the wealthy, it seems like nothing is actually getting better for the average American. Our economy actually shrank. Opinion: Who would want to have babies under a Trump administration? Not me. Again, Republicans, you really wanted this? You were so scared of a government that was slightly more liberal that you would let everything get more expensive for working families? What were you afraid of – taxing billionaires? Helping first-time homebuyers? Harris' 'opportunity economy'? It seems like none of you thought this through. Or, worse, you did. The Republican Congress is a joke Another element of Trumpism is the fact that Republicans in Congress seem to be fine with the way he is completely dismantling the United States government. They don't care that his One Big Beautiful Bill Act is going to add to the deficit, so long as it's a Republican putting us further into debt. Some of them, like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, failed to even read the bill before voting for it. Their lack of interest is so substantial that she just admitted it openly. Opinion: Why can't Democrats take advantage of all this obvious Republican failure? If Harris had been elected, there would be no need for Congress to monitor her every move (even if they're failing to do that with Trump). Instead, we may have seen a legislature that, while divided, was able to function. We would have had checks and balances and likely significantly fewer executive orders, none of which would have tried to rewrite the U.S. Constitution. Once again – is this really what Republicans still want? Are they so scared of the possibility of trans people having rights or undocumented immigrants receiving due process that they would choose a government that won't stand up to tyranny? Would they really elect a tyrant in the first place? They did, so I suppose they must be OK with all of it. I can't get over the fact that Republicans willingly chose chaos over stability. They would rather say they won than have a functioning government or a stable economy. They would rather see our country suffer than admit that Trump is a raging lunatic. That isn't patriotism – it's partisanship. They would rather give Musk billions in federal contracts than help Americans in any way. This is what nearly half the country chose for the rest of us. And it doesn't seem like anyone is embarrassed about it. Follow USA TODAY columnist Sara Pequeño on X, formerly Twitter: @sara__pequeno
New York Post
38 minutes ago
- New York Post
Russian drones and missiles target Ukraine's Kharkiv, killing 3, officials say
A large Russian drone-and-missile attack targeted Ukraine's eastern city of Kharkiv on Saturday, killing at least three people and injuring 21, local officials said. The barrage — the latest in near daily wide scale attacks — included aerial glide bombs that have become part of a fierce Russian onslaught in the three-year war. The intensity of the Russian attacks on Ukraine over the past weeks has further dampened hopes that the warring sides could reach a peace deal anytime soon days — especially after Kyiv recently embarrassed the Kremlin with a surprising drone attack on military airfields deep inside Russia. 5 A large Russian drone-and-missile attack targeted Kharkiv, Ukraine on Saturday. AFP via Getty Images According to Ukraine's Air Force, Russia struck with 215 missiles and drones overnight, and Ukrainian air defenses shot down and neutralized 87 drones and seven missiles. Several other areas in Ukraine were also hit, including the regions of Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, and the city of Ternopil, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said in a post on X. 'To put an end to Russia's killing and destruction, more pressure on Moscow is required, as are more steps to strengthen Ukraine,' he said. Kharkiv's mayor Ihor Terekhov said the attack also damaged 18 apartment buildings and 13 private homes. Terekhov said it was 'the most powerful attack' on the city since the full-scale invasion in 2022. Kharkiv's regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said two districts in the city were struck with three missiles, five aerial glide bombs and 48 drones. Among the injured were two children, a month and a half old boy and a 14-year old girl, he added. 5 Kharkiv's mayor Ihor Terekhov said the attack damaged 18 apartment buildings. AFP via Getty Images 5 Over a dozen private homes were damaged in the attack, Terekhov added. AFP via Getty Images The attack on Kharkiv comes one day after Russia launched one of the fiercest missile and drone barrages on Ukraine, striking six Ukrainian territories and killing at least killing at least six people and injuring about 80. Among the dead were three emergency responders in Kyiv, one person in Lutsk and two people in Chernihiv. US President Donald Trump said this week that his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, told him Moscow would respond to Ukraine's attack on Russian military airfields last Sunday. 5 The attack on Kharkiv came one day after Russia targeted six Ukrainian territories. AFP via Getty Images 5 The inside of a Kharkiv building is in ruins after the Russian strike on Saturday. REUTERS Trump also said that it might be better to let Ukraine and Russia 'fight for a while' before pulling them apart and pursuing peace. Trump's comments were a remarkable detour from his often-stated appeals to stop the war and signaled he may be giving up on recent peace efforts.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Baltic states issue statement supporting Ukraine's membership in EU and NATO
The foreign affairs committees of the parliaments of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have issued a joint statement expressing their full support for Ukraine in its war with Russia, as well as for its membership in the European Union and NATO. Source: Žygis Pavilionis, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Lithuanian Parliament, on Facebook, as reported by European Pravda Details: The committee meeting took place on Friday 6 June, in Birstonas, Lithuania. In the final document, the parties confirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity and stressed that Ukraine's victory over Russia and its accession to NATO are key conditions for a just and lasting peace in Europe. They also noted that Ukraine's membership in NATO would provide a solid foundation for Euro-Atlantic security and stressed that Russia's full-scale war is a gross violation of international law, the UN Charter and basic human rights norms. To quote the countries' statement and five key commitments they declared: To support Ukraine until its full victory, including the liberation of all temporarily occupied territories, accountability for war crimes, and full implementation of international justice; To support Ukraine's membership in the European Union, with the goal of concluding accession negotiations and welcoming Ukraine as a full member of the European Union by 1 January 2030; To support Ukraine's path towards NATO membership, in line with the decisions of the Bucharest (2008), Vilnius (2023), and Washington (2024) NATO Summits, which clearly affirmed that Ukraine's future is in NATO. We call on the upcoming 2025 NATO Summit in The Hague to take concrete political steps that would pave the way for Ukraine's accession to the Alliance; To welcome the growing practical defence cooperation between Ukraine and likeminded partners and to encourage an invitation for Ukraine to join the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) as a meaningful step towards deeper regional security integration; To continue diplomatic and political efforts to isolate russia [the name of the aggressor country was deliberately written with a lowercase letter – ed.] and its supporters in the war within international organisations, to expand and tighten sanctions regimes, and to ensure full legal and political accountability for the crimes committed against Ukraine. The committees of the three countries also called on other parliaments, international institutions and governments to support this statement and take appropriate steps towards Ukraine's victory, its reconstruction and full integration into the Euro-Atlantic community. Background: A NATO summit will be held in The Hague at the end of June. As European Pravda reported earlier, NATO leaders are preparing to adopt a decision to increase defence spending to 5% of GDP, part of which will be allowed to support Ukraine. This could significantly strengthen the defence capabilities of the Ukrainian defence forces. The new spending target is expected to be divided as follows: 3.5% of GDP for direct military needs and another 1.5% for broader security projects, including infrastructure. Some NATO countries, such as Canada and Luxembourg, may use aid to Ukraine as part of their new commitments to increase defence spending to 5% of GDP. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
