Washington/Kyiv: “If Ukraine tries to get Crimea back, it will be a ‘red line’ for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russia may launch a more widespread and aggressive attack as a response,” US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken warned. Blinken made the warning at a private meeting on Wednesday. Even as Blinken issued the warning, Senior State Department official Victoria Nuland said the United States would not oppose the Ukrainian attacks on Crimea.
Last month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced his intention to retake Crimea at a meeting in Davos, Europe. “Crimea is a part of Ukrainian territory. The Western countries should provide us with weapons, and we will get our Crimea back,” Zelensky said. President Zelensky is repeatedly warning that Crimea is a part of Ukraine and that the Ukrainian soldiers will stop their campaign only after it is captured.
The New York Times, a leading US daily, had claimed that the US could provide additional weapons and other assistance to Ukraine to launch attacks on Crimea. The US daily said that the Biden administration had taken a positive stance regarding supporting Ukraine for the Crimea attacks. US sources also indicated that Ukraine would be provided with long-range missiles and rockets. In view of this, the contradictory statements of State Secretary Blinken and Nuland are worth noting.
The US daily said that the Biden administration had taken a positive stance regarding supporting Ukraine for the Crimea attacks.
The Russian Embassy in the US has said that the statements made by the Biden administration about Ukraine demonstrate US’s direct participation in the Ukrainian conflict. Russian analysts have pointed out that Crimea is a sensitive issue for President Putin. Therefore, if Crimea is attacked, it is believed that Russia will target Ukraine with all its power.
Once part of the Russian Federation, Crimea province was transferred to Ukraine in 1954. In 2014, Russia attacked and captured Crimea once again. However, the international community has refused to accept Russia’s annexation. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other prominent leaders have rebuffed the statements of Western countries, including Ukraine, saying Crimea is no longer an issue.
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