Foreign Media: Crimea: Who is Pouring Gasoline on the Fire? The ceasefire agreement between Ukraine and Russia has not been reached. US President Donald Trump once again lashed out at Volodymyr Zelenskyy, telling him not to pour gasoline on the fire. On Tuesday, Zelenskyy had stated at a press conference that Ukraine would not legally recognize the occupation of Crimea; "There is no room for negotiation on this. It violates our constitution." This statement infuriated Trump, who criticized Zelenskyy for making things more complicated. Andriy Yermak, Secretary of the Office of the President of Ukraine, who attended the London meeting, expressed through the network: "Ukraine will adhere to its principles on issues of sovereignty and territorial integrity." According to The New York Times, due to Zelenskyy's refusal to recognize Crimea as part of Russia, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio canceled his trip to London to attend the talks mediating the Ukrainian conflict. Agence France-Presse reported that Trump once again said that Zelenskyy had no cards in hand. Trump wrote on Truth Social that Zelenskyy's refusal to recognize Russia's sovereignty over the Crimean Peninsula was deliberately prolonging the killing. Trump wrote on Truth Social: "Zelenskyy can achieve peace; otherwise, he will lose his country if he fights for another three years." Trump also wrote: "No one is asking Zelenskyy to recognize Crimea as Russian territory, but if he wants to reclaim it, why didn't he do so eleven years ago?" [Russia annexed Crimea in 2014]. The US President said: "Zelenskyy's public statements about peace negotiations with Russia are very harmful," and for him, "Crimea has been lost for many years," and "there is no room for discussion about reclaiming it." According to Financial Times reports, Putin told the US envoy earlier this month that he could withdraw claims to sovereignty over parts of eastern Ukraine; in return, the US might recognize Russia's sovereignty over the Crimean Peninsula. Moscow denied this news, while Ukraine firmly opposed any territorial concessions, including Crimea. On the evening of April 22, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the proposal to cede territories "is completely off the table, beyond the limits of our constitution," and emphasized that "Ukraine will not legally recognize Russia's annexation of Crimea and other territories, as these are the territories of the Ukrainian people." His remarks were directed at a report by the Financial Times. The Financial Times cited informed sources saying that during a recent meeting in St. Petersburg with the visiting US envoy, Viktorov, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed halting offensive operations based on the current front lines and even withdrawing claims to sovereignty over parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia. Russia expanded its territory through unrecognized "referendums" in 2022, but these four regions remain only partially occupied by Russia, with Ukraine still controlling the remaining areas. Ukrainian officials will meet European and American officials in London on Wednesday to discuss the latest proposals. However, Viktorov and US Secretary of State Rubio have decided to withdraw from the meeting, while the US Special Envoy for Ukraine, Kellogg, will still attend. London reiterated that "Ukraine's future is determined by itself." French President Emmanuel Macron believes that Ukraine's "territorial integrity" is a "strong requirement" for Europeans. Original Source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1830242915972096/ Disclaimer: The article solely represents the author's views.