Why Zelensky Won’t Bargain Away Crimea — No Matter the Pressure

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Why Zelensky Won’t Bargain Away Crimea — No Matter the Pressure

 

The fate of Crimea has surged back into the heart of global diplomacy, becoming a defining obstacle in former President Donald Trump’s emerging peace plan for Ukraine. As speculation grows that Trump’s strategy could involve officially recognizing Crimea as part of Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has drawn an unambiguous red line: he will not, and cannot, concede the peninsula.

 

Although the full details of Trump’s proposal remain under wraps, reports suggest that his plan includes U.S. recognition of Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea, giving Moscow de jure — or legal — control over the region. “It was lost years ago,” Trump has reportedly said, brushing off the peninsula as “not even a part of discussion” in ongoing peace efforts.

 

For Zelensky, however, Crimea is not a bargaining chip. It is an inseparable part of Ukraine — politically, constitutionally, and emotionally. The suggestion that the U.S. might legitimize Russia’s landgrab is more than just an affront to Ukrainian sovereignty; it’s a direct challenge to the very idea of international law. “There’s nothing to talk about here,” Zelensky declared. “This is against our constitution.”

 

 

That constitution is crystal clear. Article 2 proclaims that Ukrainian sovereignty “extends throughout its entire territory” and that this territory is “indivisible and inviolable.” Any attempt to alter Ukraine’s borders must be approved by a national referendum, itself requiring the consent of Ukraine’s parliament. For Zelensky, who has repeatedly vowed to uphold the law of his nation, relinquishing Crimea would not only be unconstitutional — it would be unthinkable.

 

He has also reminded the world that this stance isn’t new. In 2018, then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo issued the “Crimea Declaration,” firmly rejecting Russia’s claim. Zelensky now points to that moment as evidence that the U.S. once stood solidly behind Ukraine on Crimea — and should continue to do so. For Kyiv, any reversal by Washington would represent a dangerous precedent: that force can be rewarded with legitimacy.

 

Although it’s true, as Trump asserts, that Ukraine has little chance of regaining Crimea in the immediate future, acknowledging Russia’s claim legally would be a drastic and symbolic shift. The reality on the ground — the de facto control by Moscow — does not mean the world should accept it as lawful.

 

In the early stages of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, negotiators in Istanbul floated the idea of “parking” the Crimea issue, leaving it unresolved for 10 to 15 years while focusing on more immediate matters. While that idea failed to gain traction, it reflected an international consensus that Crimea remains a thorny, long-term issue, not something to be solved hastily.

 

In Washington, the Biden administration had chosen a path of strategic ambiguity. Officials had repeatedly dodged direct questions on whether the U.S. would support Ukraine’s efforts to militarily retake Crimea. The goal, according to analysts, may habe been to keep the pressure on Russia without completely slamming the door on future negotiations.

 

“They may believed that there is value in holding Crimea at risk in order to put pressure on the Russians to come to the negotiating table,” said Chris Chivvis, a former U.S. national intelligence officer and current director of the American Statecraft Program at the Carnegie Endowment. “It’s possible that that’s driving their policy… Even if they don’t actually believe that it’s likely that Crimea will be returned to Ukraine militarily.”

 

Still, that strategy was never enough for lawmakers pushing for a clearer stance. But for Zelensky, the matter is not one of geopolitical calculation — it’s about principle, law, and the identity of a nation that refuses to forget what was taken. As he sees it, Crimea is not lost — and never will be.

 

  Adpated by ASEAN Now from BBC | Hill  2025-04-25

 

 

[Tug]

Its also a large body of water the killers have to cross before they can murder Ukrainian patriots trying to defend their nation.its also a way to throttle Russia trying to get their goods to market.Its also a roadblock to trump’s betrayal of Ukraine and our European brothers and sisters.

[spidermike007]

It is an internationally accepted concept since World War II that any land amassed over the course of a war does not legally belong to the victor. The only true exception of this might be Israel which illegally seized a significant amount of land.

 

Certainly the same applies to Russia and the pressure that  Trump is putting on Zelensky to give up a very substantial portion of his nation is nauseating, pathetic, sickening, shameful and utterly desperate. In addition to showing a disgusting degree of butt kissing toward King Vlad. 

[MicroB]

It shouuld be a similar situation to Northern Cyprus; no one recognises this except for Turkey. Interestingly, Russia refuses to recognise Northern Cyprus as well.

 

In the context of comparing the negotiations to a game of cards, Ukrainian recognition of the status the de facto status of Crimea is a bargaining chip. Without international recognition, businesses in Crimea will find it challenging to secure outside investment. Crimea is considered to have the best beaches in the region, and before the conflict, it was being reinvigorated as a resort.

 

Before he became an exiled Youtuber in Uzbekistan, "Inside Russia" used to post harmless videos about life in Russia, including a familiy vacation in occupied Crimea

 

 

[Nick Carter icp]

8 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

. The only true exception of this might be Israel which illegally seized a significant amount of land.

 

 

   Jordan had previously ruled Judea and Jordan doesn't want it back .

Its free available land for Israel to keep as no other Country claims it 

[Gsxrnz]

Nine-tenths, and all that.  

[ExpatOilWorker]

40 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

It is an internationally accepted concept since World War II that any land amassed over the course of a war does not legally belong to the victor. The only true exception of this might be Israel which illegally seized a significant amount of land.

 

Certainly the same applies to Russia and the pressure that  Trump is putting on Zelensky to give up a very substantial portion of his nation is nauseating, pathetic, sickening, shameful and utterly desperate. In addition to showing a disgusting degree of butt kissing toward King Vlad. 

Tibet?

[sammieuk1]

Americans your president is mentally ill there is no peace plan other than surrendering  🤔

[dinsdale]

Crimea was handed to the Russians under Obama. Now Zelensky wants it back.

[daveAustin]

How’s about this, Donald, Ukraine gives up Crimea if you give Alaska back to Russia? How would that feel to cede your territory to a foreigner? Unthinkable. Trump is such a robot; it’s all about ‘the deal’ to him. He doesn’t give a monkey’s chuff about the people and what’s right. 

[KhunLA]

28 minutes ago, daveAustin said:

How’s about this, Donald, Ukraine gives up Crimea if you give Alaska back to Russia? How would that feel to cede your territory to a foreigner? Unthinkable. Trump is such a robot; it’s all about ‘the deal’ to him. He doesn’t give a monkey’s chuff about the people and what’s right. 

 

Apples & Oranges ...

 

 

Most people of Crimea don't want to be part of UA, after the coup and installed govts.

[impulse]

I see we have a bunch of the "willing to fight down to the last dead Ukrainian" guys here. 

 

Crimea was lost.  It's not coming back without WW3, a NATO ground war and possible nuclear Armageddon.  (Under Obama, I may add).  So was the Donbass.  (Under Biden)

 

The dying needs to stop, and the reconstruction needs to start.

 

Edit:  My biggest concern is that Zelenskyy's intransigence will eventually force Putin to go all the way to Kiev.  Or kill another few million trying.

 

[JimHuaHin]

Zelensky understands Russia and Putin better than the idiots in the White House.

[Hamus Yaigh]

2 hours ago, dinsdale said:

Crimea was handed to the Russians under Obama. Now Zelensky wants it back.

Some people are living in a parallel world of the mentally unhinged or Russia. 

 

Russia is the aggressor and invader.  No end to this until Russia pays for this.

[steven100]

if Zelensky had anyway of flattening Moscow,  that would be his best option ... and best for everyone.   imo

[dinsdale]

11 minutes ago, Hamus Yaigh said:

Some people are living in a parallel world of the mentally unhinged or Russia. 

 

Russia is the aggressor and invader.  No end to this until Russia pays for this.

Not taking Russia's side. Simply pointing out that there was no military response to Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 under Obama and by the West in general. This is a neutral comment so please keep your ad hominin comments in check.  

[Tug]

36 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

Not taking Russia's side. Simply pointing out that there was no military response to Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 under Obama and by the West in general. This is a neutral comment so please keep your ad hominin comments in check.  

That was my #1 gripe about Obama’s foreign policy when Russia invaded Ukraines territory we should have done more much more.now we have a president in the Oval Office that’s by far more of an asset to the enemy than an asset to Europe's democratic country’s or in my view America herself hes definitely an enemy to our constitution.

[Hamus Yaigh]

41 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

This is a neutral comment so please keep your ad hominin comments in check.  

It was not a neutral comment as it ignores an injustice by an aggressor? It was also not targeted at you specifically but "some people" as I said, and there are a lot of "them" on this forum for some reason.

[Eric Loh]

Trump's cryptocurrency ventures are just perfect for geopolitics dirty money from Russia that may have influenced his soft stance on Putin. He is just so corrupted that this can't be ruled out.  

[dinsdale]

12 minutes ago, Hamus Yaigh said:

It was not a neutral comment as it ignores an injustice by an aggressor? It was also not targeted at you specifically but "some people" as I said, and there are a lot of "them" on this forum for some reason.

A neutral comment points out the facts without bias. This is what my comment about Crimea's annexation did. If I was to include opinion it's no longer neutral.

[KhunLA]

16 minutes ago, Hamus Yaigh said:

It was not a neutral comment as it ignores an injustice by an aggressor? It was also not targeted at you specifically but "some people" as I said, and there are a lot of "them" on this forum for some reason.

We won't hold that against UA though ... 

 

This conflict will be never ending while Z is in control.  No way is RU letting UA abuse it's people in Crimea, Donbass or other areas freed from UA's oppression.

[Yagoda]

The Crimea was never "Ukrainian", except as an administrative Soviet thing.

 

Very little of the "Ukraine" is "Ukrainian"

[connda]

Good for him.  Stick to your guns ol' buddy (Oh wait, Zee doesn't have a gun and is never in harms way at the front). Ok - keep press ganging volunteering Ukrainian men and sending the cannon fodder brave, highly trained soldiers to the front.  Russia is down to launching washing machine and dryers full of TNT as they have run out of missiles, the Ruble is Rubble, Russia Is In Tatters, and the reality on the ground is that the Russian "cockroaches" (I believe that is how you refer to Russians) are running back to Moscow as Ukie troop retake Crimea and push "The Invaders" back to the Russian border.  The US just needs to send $500 billion more ($50 billion to a special offshore account in the Bahamas) and you'll have Ivan running home to momma.
"The more money you send to me, the more I be richer, and of course war turn out good for Trump and JD too.  War good for Ukraine, send more money and war get better! We win for sure.  Russia orcs don't have snowball chance in bonfire of burning Benjamins ." <unrolls a $100 dollar bill and sniffs>

In other news, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters, "...that things are just fine. No problems.  President Trump is great man who understands the root cause of the conflict.  We see peace sooner...or later.  No hurry  Future plans?  Off to India and Pakistan to see if we can talk them out of nuking each other and irradiating Southeast Asia which is downwind."