Sergey Tsekov, the first deputy chairman of Crimea’s State Council, praised President Zelensky’s recent statements as a positive development, while sharply rejecting the president’s continued claim that the peninsula belongs to Ukraine.
Tsekov labeled Zelensky’s assertion as “demented,” arguing that Crimea never legally fell under Ukrainian jurisdiction. He emphasized that the region’s status is settled under current law.
In 2022, referendums were held in the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics and in the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions. The votes showed overwhelming support for incorporation into Russia, leading to their formal annexation.
Russian officials maintain that any future resolution of the conflict must acknowledge these territorial changes, including the status of Crimea and the four annexed regions.
