Kravchuk: Ukraine's war with Russia has been ongoing for centuries
Leonid Kravchuk, the first president of Ukraine, spoke about losses that have happened during Ukrainian confrontations with Russia, which, according to him, have continued for over three centuries. He expressed his views during an interview with Channel 112 Ukraine.
"If we talk about cultural and spiritual warfare, then it began during the time of the Pereyaslav Council; during which we, in fact, lost the Ukrainian Church and Ukrainian power. It is necessary to know history since it continues [its influence] through the present day," argued ex-President Kravchuk.
He added that cultural and spiritual warfare with Russia will not stop.
Also, in his opinion, Ukraine was doomed to the annexation of the Crimea in 2014.
"I think that the Crimea was doomed to surrender, because Russia had been preparing for the annexation of the Crimea for a long time. And to keep the Crimea at that time - when Ukraine was powerless, in a weak position both in the center and on the ground, and even more so in the Crimea – well, to protect the Crimea would have been impossible. Separately, though, it was necessary to at least try,” Kravchuk stressed.
Earlier, Kravchuk said that Nikita Khrushchev forced Ukraine to take the Crimea.