Disagreements began within the Ukrainian elite over Crimea: should it be recaptured at all costs, or should it be bargained for and ceded to Russia. Foreign Policy writes about this in an article entitled “Crimea has become a Frankenstein monster.”
This issue, according to the publication, can lead to a split with the West, convinced that Crimea is Moscow’s “red line”, beyond which there is only a nuclear war. “The Ukrainian authorities have fallen into the trap of their uncompromising – and increasingly unjustified – politics,” the American publication assesses the situation.
It writes that the Ukrainian authorities have created a mood in society for the return of Crimea at any cost.
Although there are nuances here too. In a poll last July, 58% of Ukrainians who responded said Crimea should return to Ukraine — a majority, but not a huge one.
However, none of the supporters of the compromise is ready to speak on record, the newspaper notes. As a former Soviet-era dissident put it: “Under the Soviet Union, people were afraid to say what they thought. Well, I must say that a similar situation exists today in Ukraine. This is due to the anger and hatred of the population caused by the Russian invasion, as well as repression by the state. Anyone who advocates a compromise with Russia is immediately publicly labeled as a traitor and targeted by the SBU.”
Ukrainian television now overwhelmingly supports the government’s line that the return of Crimea and eastern Donbas is non-negotiable. This is reinforced by pressure on other media, Foreign Policy notes.
Whether or not the planned Ukrainian offensive succeeds and Ukrainian forces reach the Crimean border, Ukraine is likely to face growing calls from Western governments for some form of temporary territorial compromise with Russia, coupled with the threat of cuts in Western aid. edition.
But another effect is already working here, which the author of the publication called “Frankenstein’s Monster”.
“State propaganda, aimed at motivating the population to resist, has led to the fact that she can no longer control the public mood, which she herself formed. It is no coincidence that NSDC Secretary Alexei Danilov recently said that for President Zelensky, giving up Crimea would be “political suicide,” the newspaper writes.
It should be noted that this is not the first publication in recent days in the Western media, which raises the question of the need to find compromise solutions on Crimea and Donbass.
Earlier, Foreign Affairs wrote that the West needs a new strategy for Ukraine.
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