U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo Tells Ukraine That It Has 'Lost' Crimea To Russia Forever

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, pictured with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, recently visited Ukraine and other post-Soviet countries. Efrem Lukatsky, AP/TASS

Moscow Times: ‘Crimea Is Lost,’ Pompeo Reportedly Tells Ukraine

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has allegedly said that Ukraine has lost Crimea to Russia forever, according to a closed-door meeting participant’s account provided to Ukrainian media.

Pompeo reportedly made the remarks Friday at talks with Ukrainian civil society members during his recent visit to Ukraine and other post-Soviet countries. Ukraine's relations with Russia collapsed after Moscow seized the Black Sea peninsula and a war between pro-Russian rebels and Kiev broke out in eastern Ukraine in 2014.

“He said that Crimea is lost,” Yelena Trehub, the head of Ukraine’s nongovernmental anti-corruption watchdog, told the NV news magazine Tuesday.

“World players are well aware that Crimea is lost,” Trehub recounted Pompeo’s words to Crimean activist Emina Dzhaparova. “Russia is not a country from which you can take something away.”

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WNU Editor: Two-thirds of Crimea (if not more) are ethnically Russian. They have no interest in becoming a part of Ukraine. I know there are some in Kiev who are pushing for a Ukrainian federal system where regions like Crimea would be given a great deal of autonomy and control of heir culture, language, and finances. This will work with the Donbas regions in eastern Ukraine, and will end the current war if implemented as President Zelenskiy had promised during last year's election. But for Crimea, coupled with Moscow's insistence that this Crimea not on the table, IMHO this "solution" to the Crimea issue is not going to happen.