In a recent interview with Time magazine, former US President Donald Trump stated that Crimea will remain Russian territory.
This statement follows previous international media leaks suggesting the US plans to recognise Crimea as Russian in a final peace proposal. However, it marks the first time Trump has explicitly expressed this position himself.
In the interview, Trump blamed Kyiv for the war with Russia, suggesting discussions about NATO membership were the catalyst. By doing so, he echoed Russia’s narrative on the conflict. Under the peace he envisions, Ukraine could lose roughly 20% of its territory.
If Ukraine is compelled to relinquish Crimea, it would be a particularly bitter blow. Officially, Kyiv maintains that Crimea is still Ukrainian territory, but admits the military lacks the resources and manpower to retake the peninsula. Crimea has been under Russian control since 2014 following a referendum orchestrated by Moscow.
Russia’s manoeuvre in Crimea occurred after a pro-Western uprising in Kyiv forced then-President Viktor Yanukovych to resign in late 2013. In spring the following year, Russia annexed Crimea, and pro-Russian separatists broke away in eastern Ukraine, setting the stage for the large-scale Russian invasion in February 2022.
Following the leak of the peace proposal, which would effectively mean a surrender by Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated he could not cede Crimea. The leader stated it would violate Ukraine’s constitution, which asserts sovereignty over the entire territory.
Notably, during Trump’s first term, his then Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, issued a declaration asserting that Crimea is indeed Ukrainian.