Trump's Stance on Crimea Ignites Anger Among Ukrainian Expatriates

Russia will retain control over Crimea, according to U.S. President Donald Trump during an interview released on Friday. "Hearing Trump makes me extremely uneasy," remarks Eliza, a Ukrainian resident of Lublin, Poland, in a discussion with WP. Similar to many regular Ukrainians, she feels that reclaiming the peninsula has come at too great a cost due to the loss of life among Ukrainian servicemen.

In 1991, as the Soviet Union dissolved, Crimea came under the control of an independent Ukraine. Later, in 2014, armed troops known colloquially as "little green men"—which were actually Russian military personnel though Moscow at first refuted their involvement—assisted local separatist groups in seizing authority within Crimea. Following this, a hastily arranged vote took place, after which President Vladimir Putin declared that Crimea had been incorporated into Russia.

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The aggressive annexation of the peninsula seemingly doesn’t concern Donald Trump, who during an interview with "Time" on Friday clearly said that Crimea will stay part of Russia.

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This role coincides with strategies revealed by the press regarding a US peace initiative, as per which Americans would view Crimea as being part of Russia according to international recognition. .

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected the possibility of legally recognizing the occupation of Crimea, but in response, he heard from Trump that this stance is very harmful to peace negotiations.

Ordinary Ukrainians on Crimea

As the media cites Donald Trump's words on Friday before the General Consulate of Ukraine in Lublin, I ask ordinary Ukrainians what they think about Crimea.

An older couple is not very keen on talking about politics because, as they say, they don't understand Polish well. But when they hear that I'm asking about Crimea, they give a brief response.

"To give Crimea? That's not a good idea," says the man. "Our people lived there too. And where will they go now? And those killed, what about them?" asks his wife.

This answer is the most typical. Those I converse with feel that the sacrifice made by the defenders of their homeland, who died on the front lines, must not be in vain now .

This medal has two sides. While we desire an end to the war, we cannot accept such high costs. The question remains: why did these young men lose their lives? Several people close to me have perished. These individuals fought for what they believed was their homeland,” explains Nadia, a 33-year-old mother of two who arrived at the Lublin consulate seeking assistance. “I’ve resided in Poland for ten years now and have built a life here with my family. However, I firmly believe that Crimea belongs to Ukraine. Furthermore, Trump’s stance seems excessive as his ambitions extend to claiming territory across various regions,” she continues.

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A different woman from Ukraine acknowledges that she gets irritated whenever she hears Donald Trump speak.

"I get very anxious when I hear Trump. I'm sad because no one knows what war is until they've been there. Rockets are constantly flying, and people are dying in Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, everywhere. Someone promises silence on the front, but that silence is not kept," says an upset Eliza. "But it's a bit funny because One wanted to conquer Ukraine within 24 hours, and the other aimed to conclude the war in the same timeframe, but neither succeeded. I believe Trump isn't a skilled politician; however, he excels as a businessman. In this conflict, it's primarily about finances for him,” she comments.

She also emphasizes the dedication with which Ukrainian soldiers fight on the front lines.

"Since 2014, numerous of our soldiers have lost their lives. Abandoning Crimea at this point isn’t simple. Imagine if I entered your house and claimed it as mine. Now you must gather your belongings since I want it this way,” Eliza illustrates metaphorically.

Some argue that relinquishing Ukrainian territory won’t halt Russia’s advances. 'Yes, peace is crucial,' says another individual I encounter at the consulate, 'but if we surrender Crimea today, then Zaporizhzhia tomorrow, this pattern will continue indefinitely. Putin shows no signs of stopping.'

Out of all the people I spoke with, just one individual didn’t clearly state their position on what should happen regarding Crimea.

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This is a complex issue. On one side, lives are being lost, yet if we relinquish Crimea, Russia could potentially initiate another war within a few years. I can’t provide a clear-cut response," states Yaroslav. He then continues after a pause: "Back in 2014, during the occupation of the Donetsk and Luhansk areas by Russia, things were similar. Now eight years later, here we are with Putin starting this conflict once more.

Denys, a Ukrainian student studying in Lublin, thinks that "the transfer of Crimea would violate Ukraine's constitution."

He provides a historical instance of a totalitarian government expanding across multiple nations. “Consider what occurred during World War II. First, Austria was handed over to Hitler, followed by Czechoslovakia; eventually, he invaded Poland. But did his expansionist actions cease there? Absolutely not. His conquests ended solely because adversaries stood up against him,” he notes.

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