photo: MK in Crimea
The Russian authorities need » teach a lesson» in the context of Crimea. This statement was made on Wednesday, March 10, by US Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Celeste Wallander.
The official was asked to answer the question of whether for Russia’s “strategic defeat” in the conflict with Ukraine it is necessary to achieve the exclusion of Crimea from composition of the Russian Federation.
Wallander stated that “it is up to Ukraine to decide whether they need to achieve this.” However, a Pentagon spokeswoman said that “for me, complying with the international norm that borders cannot be changed by force is absolutely vital to teach Putin a lesson, so yes.”
However, American congressmen Matt Gaetz and Adam Smith pointed out the unattainability of such goals, emphasizing that Crimea will never secede from Russia.
Meanwhile, Ohio University professor John Mueller said that the loss of Ukrainian territories could benefit Kyiv, because they were previously burden for Ukraine. According to him, not only Crimea, but also new Russian regions were a “burden” for the country.
However, Mikhail Podolyak, adviser to the head of the office of the President of Ukraine, said that the idea of resolving the conflict with Russia by renouncing claims to Crimea and Donbass, is “political naivety.”