Latest news with #Crimea
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Pompeo warns against US recognizing Russian control over Crimea: ‘Mistake of epic proportions'
ODESA, Ukraine — In the range of Russian rockets from Ukraine's occupied Crimean Peninsula, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stood in Odesa and called for President Trump to reject recognizing Russian sovereignty over territory it seized by force. Pompeo, who served as secretary of state during Trump's first term, said if the U.S. recognized Crimea as Russian territory, it 'would be a mistake of epic proportions,' speaking at the Black Sea Security Forum Saturday. 'I get the frustration … I'm not naive about what's physically possible in this moment, but that doesn't mean one should go and say, 'and we are giving up for all time,'' he said. 'This is one of the things I hope to communicate,' Pompeo added. The former secretary's remarks comes as the Trump administration has weighed giving de jure recognition to Russia over territory it occupies in Ukraine as part of efforts to coax Moscow towards a ceasefire and peace deal with Kyiv. There's growing acceptance in Ukraine that it needs to enter into a ceasefire with Russia without liberating its territory, but Kyiv is pushing for its allies to hold back recognizing occupied lands as sovereign Russian territory. Russia occupies about 20 percent of Ukrainian territory since launching a full-scale invasion of the country in February 2022. But it has maintained an occupation of the Crimean Peninsula since invading and illegally annexing it in 2014, along with the eastern Ukrainian provinces of Luhansk and Donetsk. In 2018, Pompeo — during Trump's first term — issued the Crimea Declaration 'reaffirming U.S. policy its refusal to recognize the Kremlin's claims of sovereignty over territory seized by force in contravention of international law.' While Trump has disavowed Pompeo as a member of his inner circle, the former secretary and CIA director told The Hill he is articulating to Republican allies on Capitol Hill why maintaining the Crimea Declaration is important and 'the right thing to do.' He mentioned Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a close Trump ally and Ukraine supporter, as one of those allies and said he saw him in Ukraine. Graham was in Kyiv with Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) this week. 'There are many in my party, the Republican party, that have disappointed me deeply and have said things that are inconsistent with what I think are the deep American interests that we have here,' Pompeo said during a fireside chat during the conference. 'But I think they all also know, that, in the end, there's no walking away from this for the United States,' he added. Trump has routinely favored Russian President Vladimir Putin and exercised pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in efforts to bring the two sides together. But the U.S. president has also expressed frustration with Putin, calling the Russian leader 'crazy' after the Kremlin launched its largest aerial bombardment against Ukraine between May 24 and 25. In Odesa, Russian strikes against the city on May 23 — launched from Crimea — killed two people and injured seven others. In a post on his social media site Truth Social earlier this week, Trump threatened Putin that he was 'playing with fire' with his ongoing attacks against Ukraine. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
NATO officials reject Russian demand to halt expansion, media reports
NATO is not holding any active discussions on Russia's demand that the alliance halt its eastward expansion, Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty wrote, citing several undisclosed NATO officials and diplomats. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the NATO officials said that the issue of NATO's potential non-enlargement has not been raised at any recent, or even earlier, alliance meetings. One official called it "perhaps just an academic discussion," noting that any such decision would require full consensus among NATO members. The clarification comes after Reuters reported on May 28 that Russian President Vladimir Putin's conditions for ending the war in Ukraine include receiving a written commitment from Western leaders to cease NATO's expansion. Russian propaganda for years insisted that Ukraine's ambition to join NATO was a major trigger for its invasion. Russia's military aggression against Ukraine started in 2014 with the annexation of Crimea and the war in eastern Ukraine, at a time when Ukraine's chances and desires of joining the alliance were low. According to NATO sources cited by Radio Liberty, the written pledge Moscow demands is unrealistic. "It's not something they (Russia) can just get," one diplomat said, pointing to international agreements that enshrine every nation's right to freely choose its alliances — including the North Atlantic Treaty of 1949, the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, and the 1975 Helsinki Final Act. A separate source referenced the NATO-Russia Founding Act of 1997, a document some consider obsolete but still formally existing, which affirms respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states and upholds the principle of self-determination. U.S. Special Envoy Keith Kellogg said in a May 29 interview with ABC News that NATO's eastward expansion is a "fair" concern for Putin. He also emphasized that Ukraine's membership in the alliance is "not on the table." U.S. President Donald Trump has also repeatedly echoed Moscow's narrative that Ukraine's efforts to join NATO have been one of the root causes of the full-scale invasion. In March, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha firmly opposed any limitations on Ukraine's right to join international organizations, specifically NATO and the European Union, as a condition for reaching a potential peace agreement. Ukraine applied for NATO membership in September 2022, months after the outbreak of the full-scale war. The country has not received a formal invitation, as the 32 members have not reached a consensus. Read also: Why doesn't NATO open its doors to Ukraine? We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Russia Today
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Russia Today
Ukrainians up in arms over author of ‘mail-order bride Elena Zelenska' novel
A Ukrainian publishing house has destroyed books by American romance writer Sophie Lark, who was accused of praising Russia and disparaging Ukrainians. The Kharkov-based publisher KSD canceled the release of the Ukrainian translation of Lark's novel Brutal Prince following an outcry on social media. Ukrainian bloggers took issue with her 2024 'romantic thriller' Monarch, whose main character is named Elena Zelenska – almost like the real-life wife of Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky, Elena Zelenskaya. In the novel, Zelenska is described as 'the world's most unlikely mail-order bride,' according to the book's description on Amazon. Other users claimed the author was 'romanticizing the Russian mafia' in her other books and depicting Crimea as Russian territory. Some labeled Lark 'a fan of Russia,' accused her of promoting 'pro-Russian' narratives, and claimed she called for 'the murder of Cossacks' in her novel Anastasia, which centers on the Russian imperial Romanov dynasty. In a statement issued on Friday, KSD admitted that the decision to publish Lark's book 'was a mistake.' 'After thoroughly examining the situation and not receiving a response from the author, we have decided to destroy all 30,000 copies of the book and cancel the contract for the entire six-book series,' the publisher said on Facebook. 'It is important for us to remain responsible not only in our publishing decisions, but also in our moral principles.' Ukraine has banned multiple books, films, and songs under its laws prohibiting 'the propaganda of Russian imperial policies.' It has also removed monuments and renamed streets as part of its 'de-Communization' and 'decolonization' campaigns. The government recently announced plans to remove Russian writers, poets, and composers from the school curriculum. In March, US publisher Bloom Books pulled Lark's novel Sparrow and Vine after some readers described parts of the dialogue as racist and criticized lines in which characters praised tech billionaire Elon Musk. Lark apologized at the time, saying she had intended to write 'flawed' characters.
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Britain to attend next Russia-Ukraine peace talks
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, little has been done to contain Russia's consolidated dominance in the murky waters of the Black Sea. The dissolution of the Soviet bloc saw Moscow inherit much of the Black Sea fleet, a regional force it shared with Ukraine, and a leasing arrangement for the strategic naval base of Sevastopol, Crimea. Vladimir Putin's eventual illegal annexation of the Crimean peninsula not only gave him complete control over the fleet's home base but also further territory to dominate the Black Sea. It allowed Russia control over Ukraine's shipping routes, and the modernisation of its military presence on the peninsula saw the introduction of area denial capabilities – known as A2/AD in military parlance – such as coastal defences, more submarines and surface-to-air missiles to contest Nato's presence. On the first day of the Russian invasion, in February 2022, Putin's men pushed as far as Snake Island, a 46-acre rocky outcrop just off Ukraine. Kyrylo Budanov, Kyiv's spy chief, once said the island grants control of 'the surface, and to some extent the air, situation in southern Ukraine'. But more than three years since Putin's full-scale invasion, Snake Island is back in Ukrainian hands and the Russian choke hold over the Black Sea has all but ended.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Europe's plan to take back control of the Black Sea from Russia
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, little has been done to contain Russia's consolidated dominance in the murky waters of the Black Sea. The dissolution of the Soviet bloc saw Moscow inherit much of the Black Sea fleet, a regional force it shared with Ukraine, and a leasing arrangement for the strategic naval base of Sevastopol, Crimea. Vladimir Putin's eventual illegal annexation of the Crimean peninsula not only gave him complete control over the fleet's home base but also further territory to dominate the Black Sea. It allowed Russia control over Ukraine's shipping routes, and the modernisation of its military presence on the peninsula saw the introduction of area denial capabilities – known as A2/AD in military parlance – such as coastal defences, more submarines and surface-to-air missiles to contest Nato's presence. On the first day of the Russian invasion, in February 2022, Putin's men pushed as far as Snake Island, a 46-acre rocky outcrop just off Ukraine. Kyrylo Budanov, Kyiv's spy chief, once said the island grants control of 'the surface, and to some extent the air, situation in southern Ukraine'. But more than three years since Putin's full-scale invasion, Snake Island is back in Ukrainian hands and the Russian choke hold over the Black Sea has all but ended. Through Kyiv's use of domestically engineered maritime drones and missiles donated by the West, such as Storm Shadow and Atacms, the Black Sea fleet has been driven back to ports on the Russian coast. Now, with the Black Sea's waters once again up for grabs, the European Union has rolled out its first 'Black Sea Strategy' in the hope of countering any Russian re-emergence in the region. Of the six countries bordering the landlocked waters, two – Bulgaria and Romania – are EU members. Ukraine is a key ally and on the verge of also joining the bloc. The same applies to Georgia, although it has drifted from its EU path in recent years. Turkey, a Nato ally, is technically still a candidate for accession. The last nation, Russia, is now – and it took a generation – a sworn enemy. With this in mind, Kaja Kallas, the EU's top diplomat, unveiled what is an attempt by Brussels to project itself as a geopolitical power in the region. Its three-pronged approach aims at loosening the Russian choke hold on the Black Sea to protect trade routes and critical infrastructure, as well as boost preparations for war. The most striking promise is to invest in regional ports, railways and airports to make it faster and easier to deliver military hardware to the region in the event of hostilities heating up. 'Upgrades will help ensure troops can be where they are needed, when they are needed. Getting equipment to the region faster strengthens deterrence and also supports Nato,' Ms Kallas told a news conference in Brussels on Wednesday. Crumbling infrastructure has long posed one of the biggest threats to the Western military alliance's ability to rush troops eastwards if Russia ever attacks. Two of the five key logistical routes designated to deter invasion by Moscow travel through Bulgaria and end in Romania. Brussels is essentially left in charge of improving the civilian transport links that could one day be used by the military. Previous estimates have suggested that at least €75 billion (£62.8 billion) would be the cost of upgrading transport infrastructure across the entire continent to make it fit for military use. Any investments in Romania and Bulgaria will be carefully monitored to prevent ports, railway lines and airports coming under questionable foreign ownership. China has been trying to muscle in with purchases of ports in Georgia. Secondly, Brussels aims to open a monitoring command centre, dubbed Black Sea Maritime Security Hub, to give the bloc's members better situational awareness over the region. The EU's strategy is designed to deliver real-time information 'from space to seabed' about the movements of Russian vessels, both military and civilian. In theory, it would provide early warning alerts about potential Russian sabotage of the undersea section of an electricity cable running between Azerbaijan and Europe or offshore oil and gas rigs belonging to Romania and Bulgaria. Monitoring trade routes is seen as necessary after Russia proved how easy it was to shut down Ukraine's grain exports through the Black Sea. Kyiv eventually managed to open a protected corridor, which hugs Romania and Bulgaria, but threats remain to the key revenue generator. Another application could be the monitoring of Russia's so-called 'shadow fleet' of sanction-busting oil tankers or any future ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. The exact size, shape and location of the monitoring station is still up for negotiation between EU member states, Ms Kallas said. Other EU projects could be extended to map, monitor and eventually remove mines that were placed in the Black Sea by both Ukraine and Russia. Lastly, the EU's strategy foresees an attempt to boost partnerships across the region, which it describes as a 'vital trade artery' between the bloc, the southern Caucasus and Central Asia. 'We want to develop new energy, transport and digital corridors in the region that will connect us to the Caucasus and Central Asia,' Marta Kos, the EU's enlargement commissioner, said. Partnering with Turkey will be one of the key challenges. While officially an EU candidate country and a member of Nato, Turkey maintains its own, significant, interests in the Black Sea, including continued trade with Russia. Through the Bosphorus strait, Ankara controls access and trade in and out of the Black Sea. This means there is little to no hope of any significant European naval presence being brought into the region. Under the terms of the Montreux Convention, Turkey essentially closes the Black Sea to foreign warships and submarines in times of war. Only vessels belonging to Black Sea nations are allowed to return. Ms Kallas said that the new strategy 'is also an invitation for closer cooperation on issues of interest to all countries around the Black Sea, including Turkey'. She added: 'We are committed to working closely with our partners and also to exchanging information about what is happening and what we can do about it with all Black Sea partners. And this is in Turkey's interest as well.' Given its interests and influence over the region, Turkey is likely to push back against any large-scale attempt by Europe to muscle in on the Black Sea. It is unlikely to allow Brussels to challenge Russia head-on, and will instead seek to balance influence in the region. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
