(Kiev) Ukraine’s foreign minister said Thursday that his country will not back down from its demand to withdraw Russian forces from Crimea, as well as other parts of Ukraine that Moscow illegally annexed recently.
“We are united by the principles of the United Nations Charter and the widespread belief that Crimea is Ukraine and we will return to Ukraine’s control,” said Dmytro Kuleba, speaking via the link, during a rally in the Romanian capital, Bucharest.
“Every time you hear someone, anywhere in the world, say that Crimea is somehow special and should not be returned to Ukraine, like any other part of our territory, you should know one thing: Ukraine categorically does not agree with this. statements,” added at the Black Sea Security Conference.
The Kremlin wants Kiev to recognize Russia’s sovereignty over Crimea as well as annex Ukraine’s Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhia regions in September.
Ukraine rejected these demands and will not enter into negotiations with Russia until the Russian forces withdraw from all occupied territories.
Although there were no indications of possible peace talks, the two countries intermittently exchanged prisoners of war and reached a wartime agreement to export Ukrainian grain, grain, and fertilizer to the Russians. The grain deal helped ease concerns about the global food supply, especially in countries in Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia, where many people are already going hungry.
The agreement, which was negotiated by the United Nations and Turkey last July, is sensitive and has generated repeated threats from Moscow, which wants to put an end to it.
Last month, Russia agreed to extend the grain deal by 60 days – instead of the 120 days stipulated in an earlier extension – to send a wake-up call to the West.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry warned Thursday that no discussion of extending the Black Sea grain deal beyond May 18 will take place until progress is made on the decision. war.
He said in a statement that these issues include: Reconnecting the state-owned Agricultural Bank of Russia to the international banking system SWIFT. resumption of deliveries of agricultural machinery, spare parts and services to Russia; lifting restrictions on insurance and reinsurance and bans on port access; restore the operation of the Tolyatti-Odesa ammonia pipeline; and the unfreezing of foreign assets and accounts of Russian companies related to the production and transportation of foodstuffs and fertilizers.
Military analysts say the planned Ukrainian counteroffensive in the coming months could target the land corridor between Russia and Crimea, hoping to split Russian forces in two.
It will be a great military challenge. Satellite images show that Kremlin forces are digging vast networks of trenches in the area between mainland Ukraine and the Black Sea peninsula.
The fighting in recent months has devolved into a war of attrition, with neither side able to gain momentum over the winter and frequently resorting to long-range bombing.
On Thursday, the Ukrainian presidential office said that at least four civilians were killed and 11 wounded in the latest Russian bombing, which continued to target civilian infrastructure.
The Ukrainian military said that Russian forces had carried out 32 airstrikes, two missile strikes and 40 attacks with rocket launchers in the past 24 hours.
