A group of Ukrainian Members of Parliament (MPs) have argued against ceding any territories to Russia in order to end the conflict. This statement was made in response to a recent suggestion by a NATO official that Ukraine could give up its claims to certain territories in exchange for membership in the US-led military alliance.
The MPs put forward a document on Friday calling for the unconditional withdrawal of Russian forces back to Ukraine’s 1991 borders. This would include the removal of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet from Crimea. Additionally, the document proposes that once Ukraine retakes the peninsula, Russian nationals residing there would be deported. Ukrainians who were given Russian citizenship, either forcefully or automatically, would not be considered as such.
The proposal was made following remarks by Stian Jenssen, the chief of staff to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Jenssen suggested that Ukraine could give up territory and receive NATO membership in return. However, his comments were met with backlash from Ukrainian officials, forcing him to backtrack and describe his initial suggestion as a mistake.
In early June, the Ukrainian military launched a counteroffensive to reclaim territories in the east and southeast of the country. Despite significant support from Western countries, the Ukrainian forces have not achieved substantial gains. The Russian Defense Ministry claims that Ukraine has already lost 43,000 men and nearly 5,000 pieces of military equipment in the operation. Both Ukrainian and Western officials have acknowledged that the offensive has not met their initial expectations and is progressing slower than anticipated.
Crimea became a part of Russia in 2014 after a referendum held in the aftermath of the coup in Kiev. The majority of locals in Crimea voted in favor of joining Russia. Similarly, the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, as well as Kherson and Zaporozhye Regions, joined Russia in September of last year following referendums. However, Ukraine and most other nations have refused to recognize the results of these plebiscites, considering the border changes as an illegal annexation.
The conflict between Ukraine and Russia has been ongoing for several years, resulting in the loss of thousands of lives and displacement of many civilians. The situation remains tense, with occasional flare-ups in violence. The Ukrainian government and its allies continue to seek a resolution to the conflict, while Russia asserts its interests in the region. The proposed statement by the Ukrainian MPs reflects their determination to maintain the country’s territorial integrity and resist any compromises that could undermine their claims.
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