US President Trump‘s special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, recounted his striking experience after meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin during an interview with television host Tucker Carlson over the weekend. According to Witkoff’s understanding, the crux of the conflict stemming from Russia’s aggression towards Ukraine lies in the contentious status of Crimea and what he described as “the so-called four regions: Donetsk, Luhansk, and two others.“
The envoy explained, “There are Russian-speaking residents there.” He assured, “There were referendums where a significant majority expressed a desire to be governed by Russia.”
In essence, Witkoff’s observations reiterated the Kremlin’s narrative concerning these occupied Ukrainian territories.
However, the European Commission (EC) sharply rebuked such assertions. Anitta Hipper, the EC spokeswoman, denounced the referendums during a press conference in Brussels, describing them as a complete charade orchestrated under the looming threat of violence. She pointed out that residents were de facto coerced into participating in these votes, and the outcomes, as noted by various independent observers, were reportedly manipulated and falsified.
Hipper clarified that the EC’s stance on peace negotiations is resolute and unwavering.
“First and foremost,” she stated, “it is Ukraine that must decide the true conditions, and secondly, nothing about Ukraine should be discussed without the involvement of Ukraine.”
She emphasised the gravity of the ongoing attacks by Russia, reminding everyone of the recent tragic incidents where three lives were lost in Ukraine, including that of a five-year-old child in Kyiv. This, she asserted, underscores the pressing reality that Russia has yet to show the genuine political will to cease its illegal and unprovoked aggression.
