'Crimea is dying': Zelenskyy recalls his conversation with Trump about peninsula

What preceded this

In recent days, media reports have been spreading claims that Trump is considering the possibility of recognizing occupied Crimea as Russian territory as part of a potential deal to end the war in Ukraine.

What Zelenskyy says

Zelenskyy stated that Trump did not raise the issue of handing over occupied Crimea to Russia in their conversations.

"Trump did not bring up this issue with me. We once talked about Crimea back in September in New York. He was simply curious about what it looks like, what’s there on the peninsula, and why Ukrainians love it so much — because he had heard that Ukrainians are very fond of Crimea. So we just talked about it," Zelenskyy said.

According to him, during the conversation with Trump, he explained the unique nature of Crimea and emphasized that it is an integral part of Ukraine.

"Without Ukrainians, Crimea is dying because all logistics are tied to mainland Ukraine — water, transportation. What is the most important thing for tourism? Everyone will tell you: tourists. There is no tourism in Crimea. There has been no tourism in Crimea for 11 years. Before, Crimea used to receive 3 million tourists in the summer, 2.8 million of whom were Ukrainians. That’s the answer," Zelenskyy stressed.

Russian occupation of Crimea

The occupation of Crimea by Russia began in February 2014 when armed Russian military personnel without insignia, later referred to as "little green men," appeared on the Ukrainian peninsula. They seized key infrastructure facilities, blocked Ukrainian military units, and effectively took control of Crimea without significant armed resistance.

Under pressure from Russian forces and with the support of pro-Russian politicians, a so-called "referendum" was organized in Crimea on March 16, 2014. Its results were not recognized by Ukraine or the international community.

The occupation of the peninsula has been accompanied by widespread human rights violations, including repression against Crimean Tatars, Ukrainian activists, and journalists. The Russian authorities persecute those who express pro-Ukrainian views, conduct illegal arrests, and hold trials based on fabricated charges. Additionally, Russia is actively changing Crimea’s demographic composition by relocating its citizens there while displacing local residents.

Western countries have imposed sanctions on Russia, which remain in effect to this day, and the issue of Crimea’s de-occupation remains central in international negotiations. In 2021, Ukraine launched the Crimea Platform, an international initiative aimed at consolidating efforts to return the peninsula under Ukrainian sovereignty.