The war in Ukraine risks stretching for decades because of the temporarily occupied Crimea. Neither side is going to cede the island, making a peaceful settlement impossible.
Journalists of the portal write about it The Washington Post
According to reporters, this position of both sides threatens a protracted war of many years.
It was in Crimea in February 2014, and not in February 2022, that Russia's invasion and occupation of Ukraine began. And Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky insists that only the return of Crimea will end the war when Ukraine defeats its Russian invaders.
But for Russian President Vladimir Putin, the annexation of Crimea has become a pillar of his legacy, which will crumble if he loses the peninsula. Putin noted that any attempts by Ukraine to return Crimea would cross a red line that he would not tolerate.
At the same time, some Western officials hope that the agreement on the status of Crimea can become "the key to ending the war." They fear that the start of hostilities on the peninsula could force Putin to resort to decisive measures, for example, to use nuclear weapons.
