On Thursday, May 6, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Secretary of State of the United States of America Anthony Blinken. The interlocutors paid attention to the situation in Crimea and discussed possible joint steps to de-occupy the peninsula. This was reported by the press service of the President’s Office.
During the meeting, Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that this visit is an important signal for Europe and for the Russian Federation, because it is taking place at a time when the military presence of Russia has increased near the borders of Ukraine and there was a high probability of an escalation of the conflict in the Donbas.
“The withdrawal of some of the weapons has relieved the tension, but the threat remains. In fact, a small part of the troops has been withdrawn: today it is only 3.5 thousand troops and 210 pieces of equipment and only from Crimea. The forces that are deployed along the borders allow the Russian side to launch a military operation against Ukraine at any moment”,- Zelenskyy said.
The interlocutors discussed possible joint steps to de-occupy the Crimean peninsula. In particular, it was proposed that the United States could become one of the founders and leaders of the Crimean Platform.
Anthony Blinken reaffirmed the United States' unwavering support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The US Secretary of State said that Ukraine must restore its territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders, including Crimea.