It appears that Ukraine has made a significant shift in its position on negotiations regarding the future of Crimea. In an interview with the Financial Times, Andriy Sybiha, deputy head of Zelenskiy’s office, stated that Ukraine is willing to discuss the issue of Crimea once it achieves its strategic goals on the battlefield and reaches the administrative border with the peninsula. However, Sybiha also made it clear that Ukraine does not exclude the possibility of liberating Crimea by military means.
This statement may come as a relief to Western officials who have been skeptical about Ukraine's ability to reclaim the peninsula and have been concerned that any attempt to do so militarily could provoke Russia and possibly lead to a wider conflict. Sybiha is a veteran diplomat who focuses on foreign policy in the president's office and has been involved in key moments of the conflict.
Overall, it appears that Ukraine is taking a more pragmatic approach to negotiations regarding Crimea and is willing to engage in diplomacy to resolve the issue. However, the possibility of a military solution is not entirely off the table.
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