DISINFO: President Zelenskyy hinted that Ukraine is ready to give up Crimea
SUMMARY
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hinted that he is ready to give up Crimea. Ukraine hopes to break through the Russian front, reach the border of the peninsula and then offer the Kremlin a peace deal under which Crimea will remain part of Russia.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the illegal annexation of Crimea and an attempt to distort the historical truth about the XVIII century Russian incorporation of Crimea.
Crimea is a sovereign territory of Ukraine and President Zelenskyy did not make any statements about the mythical “Russian” status of Crimea and the “belonging” of the peninsula to Russia. Zelenskyy also did not make any statements about Ukraine’s readiness to “give up Crimea.”
The disinformation is based on an interview with President Zelenskyy to the Ukrainian TV channel 1+1. Commenting on the possibility of moving the battlefield to Russian territory, Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine does not need this and that only the de-occupation of Ukrainian lands is important for the Armed Forces of Ukraine (see video from 01:03:10).
Answering the question about whether Ukraine is ready to try a non-military option for the de-occupation of Crimea, Zelenskyy noted that the liberation of the peninsula through diplomatic means is possible. This option will help Ukraine save the lives of its citizens. Zelenskyy said that Russia could be forced to withdraw troops from occupied Crimea through political pressure only in the context of the value of the lives of Ukrainian citizens. This is not the only, but the priority way to liberate Ukrainian Crimea, the President of Ukraine emphasised (see video from 01:09:45).
See previous disinformation narratives in our database alleging that Ukraine sold Crimea to the West; Crimean people chose to be with Russia; that Crimea’s reunification with Russia was legal; that Ukraine was led by nationalist extremists and fascists; or that Crimea never belonged to Ukraine or that Crimea is a Russian sovereign region.