Herashchenko: We will not exchange Crimea for the Donbas
Responding to the statement of Nadiya Savchenko, who said that the only peaceful way to return the Donbas is to give up the Crimea, the First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, Iryna Herashchenko, stated that no MP and no political force will be able to impose a discussion on the surrender of Ukrainian territories.
“We will not exchange the occupied Crimea for the Donbas. We will not give up on the Donbas. We will fight tooth and nail for every inch of Ukrainian territory. We will fight for every Ukrainian. Ukraine is Lviv, Kyiv, the Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk. Ukraine cannot be treated as an own constituency, where one fights for supporters and gives up on the rest,” Herashchenko said.
“We fight for all. The restoration of sovereignty and territorial integrity, the territory of Ukraine within 2013 borders is our purpose. Nobody, no political force and no MP, who tries to sow confusion, defeatist sentiments, impose the discussion on surrender of the territory or trading for it, can lead us astray from the path of recovering the united Ukraine. We will not exchange the Crimea for the Donbas neither will we surrender the Donbas,” Herashchenko emphasized.
Recently, the Ukrainian businessman and philanthropist, Victor Pinchuk, wrote in an article for the Wall Street Journal that Ukrainian authorities and citizens should agree to a series of painful compromises to achieve the peaceful settlement of the conflict with Russia.
In particular, Pinchuk suggested that Ukraine consider the temporary exclusion of EU membership from its stated goals, refuse to join NATO and agree to hold local elections in the occupied territories until Ukraine has the full control over this territory to demonstrate its commitment to a peaceful alliance. Victor Pinchuk also suggested that the issue of the occupied Donbas not be tied with the issue of the annexation of the Crimea.
The businessman also proposed that Ukraine consent to a gradual lifting of sanctions on Russia. These proposals have caused public outcry, and as a sign of protest, politicians were urged not to attend a lunch organized by Victor Pinchuk at the World Economic Forum in Davos.