US President's special envoy Stephen Witkoff said in an interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson that the main issue in the Ukrainian conflict remains the status of Crimea, the so-called Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics, Zaporizhia and Kherson regions.
„First of all, I think the biggest problem in this conflict is the so-called four regions: Donbass, Crimea, Lugansk and two others. These are Russian-speaking regions. Yes, there were referendums there, in which the vast majority of people expressed a desire to be under the rule of Russia. Yes, I think this is the key issue in the conflict. This is what needs to be resolved first and foremost, and we are having very, very positive conversations on this topic," Witkoff stressed.
According to him, "nobody wants to talk about it." "This is like an elephant in the room. The elephant in the room is the constitutional issues in Ukraine, about what they can give up in terms of territory. Russia de facto controls these territories. The question is whether the world will recognize them as Russian. Will Zelensky survive politically if he recognizes them? This is the central issue of the conflict," the diplomat added.
A meeting between US and Russian presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin could take place in the next few months, Witkoff said.
“Trump had a great relationship with Vladimir Putin during his first term. I think Vladimir Putin understood that it would be difficult for the president to visit Russia now. I believe they will meet in the next few months, but I admit that it was extremely kind of Putin to receive me“, emphasized Witkoff.
He said that the Ukrainian leadership had agreed to hold presidential elections.
"Yes, there will be elections, they have already agreed to this. Elections in Ukraine will be held", the politician said.
The agreement to cease hostilities in the Black Sea could come into force next week, added Witkoff.
„Ukraine fired on Russian ships, Russia fired on Ukrainian ships. Now we have moved on to this issue, and this will be resolved next week or shortly after. There are some details that need to be discussed, but this has become part of the conversation. It is important. It is really, really important“.