Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine: Kyiv has no dialogue with Russia regarding the Crimea
The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Pavlo Klimkin, called Russian President Vladimir Putin’s proposal to transfer military equipment from Crimea to Ukraine “a trick”, Ukrayinska Pravda reports.
“You all very well understand this trick of Russia. It seems to indicate that we have some kind of dialogue about the occupied Crimea. We do not have any dialogue on any issues relating to the status of the Crimea, and we will not do anything that could weaken our political or legal position,” the minister said.
Klimkin recalled that under the Hague Convention on the rules of warfare, weapons are returned only after the peace has been established. (The text of the Convention states that restitution is made with damages. There is no declaration of war between Russia and Ukraine.)
Klimkin added that Ukraine has not received any diplomatic correspondence from Russia about the return of military equipment.
On January 11, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia ready to return military equipment to Ukraine that was left in Crimea. Ships could be sent to Odessa. In response to Russia’s proposal, Prime Minister of Ukraine Vladimir Groysman suggested that it “return Crimea along with the fleet.” He said that Kyiv is ready to take back the peninsula “at the soonest opportunity.”
On January 13, Deputy Head of the General Staff of Ukraine Igor Romanenko stated that he believes that Russia could plant mines in some of Ukraine’s military equipment. I just remember what happened after the Second World War, when the ships of the Italian and German navies, upon being repaired, were sent to the Soviet Union,” he added. Senator Frants Klintsevich advised him to “be quiet.”