Image Credit: RT
Moscow has firmly opposed a recent suggestion from Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, which proposed placing Crimea under UN administration for 20 years. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasised that Russian territory is not open for negotiation, labelling the proposal as “absurd.” This reaction came during a press briefing on Friday.
Peskov asserted that regions of Russia cannot be subjects of discussion or transfer, reiterating the stance that Crimea, historically Russian, was unjustly reassigned to Ukraine in 1954 under Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev. After Ukraine’s independence in 1991, Crimea was claimed by Kiev, but a referendum in March 2014 resulted in an overwhelming vote for rejoining Russia, following political upheaval in Ukraine.
Sikorski’s proposal aimed to address the strategic importance of Crimea for both Russia and Ukraine, suggesting that a UN mission could facilitate a future referendum regarding the region’s status. However, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry swiftly rejected this notion, insisting that Ukraine’s territorial integrity remains non-negotiable.
The situation has drawn further commentary from Russian lawmakers, with retired Air Force major-general Leonid Ivlev suggesting that if any territory should be placed under a UN mandate, it ought to be western Poland, given historical transfers of German lands to Poland after World War II. Ivlev highlighted the historical claims to Crimea, asserting that it is “historically and rightfully Russian territory; we reside on our own land.”
As tensions between Moscow and Warsaw escalate, the Kremlin’s response highlights its unwavering position regarding Crimea, reinforcing that any proposals concerning the peninsula are unwelcome and unacceptable.