First Deputy Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People Nariman Djelal asserts that the difficulties in relations between the US and Ukraine should not be perceived as a failure of Ukrainian diplomacy. According to him, the administration of Donald Trump also faced issues in its relationships with other countries, which indicates the complexity of international negotiations as a whole.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Comment on the Position of the US and Ukrainian Diplomacy
«I do not believe that what is happening is a failure of our diplomacy. The American president’s administration behaves similarly with all other international actors. This does not apply only to Ukraine. The US has relations with Europe, the Middle East, Mexico, Canada, China, and other countries,» Djelal noted during the broadcast of the radio program Svoboda.Live.
He added that Kyiv needs to work more actively with Washington under the new administration in the White House while maintaining Ukraine’s national interests.
Current Challenges and Opportunities for Ukraine
«We need to focus on what needs to be done to ensure that the US position, which unfortunately changes rapidly, remains stable. It is necessary to keep this position in the focus of our diplomacy so that we can respond and protect our interests each time. In this regard, it seems we are already achieving success,» Djelal said. He also reported that he will soon head to Ankara to work as the Ukrainian ambassador to Turkey.
«We clearly keep our own interests at the forefront, but we are ready for dialogue and cooperation. This is confirmed by the US statements regarding a ceasefire and possible agreements concerning Ukrainian resources. We demonstrate readiness for negotiations without compromising our interests. This reassures me,» Djelal emphasized, who was previously a prisoner of the Russian regime.
Threats and Statements Regarding Crimea
Djelal stressed the importance of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s position on the inviolability of Ukrainian territories, particularly Crimea, which has been occupied by Russia since 2014. He expressed the opinion that such statements are of great significance for Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars, as they underscore the steadfastness of Ukraine’s position on Crimea.
“To hear from the President of Ukraine an important reiteration of the thesis that we do not recognize Crimea and any other Ukrainian territories as Russian is very important for me personally. I have spoken with people in Crimea during these days. For them, it is also important; they are also anxious and want to hear again and again from our authorities that this «red line» will not be crossed by our government.”
Newspapers, including “The Washington Post,” reported that the US allegedly offered Ukraine and Europe to recognize Crimea as Russian territory and freeze the conflict along the front line. However, these negotiations were downgraded to a lower level, and the meeting of foreign ministers took place in a smaller format.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned that Trump might lose patience regarding the protracted negotiations and shift to other priorities.