In a proposal aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski suggested placing Crimea, currently under Russian occupation, under a UN mandate to pave the way for a “fair referendum.” This idea was shared during a discussion at the annual YES (Yalta European Strategy) meeting in Kyiv, hosted by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation, according to a report by Euromainan News.
He stated that, “We could transfer it (Crimea) under a UN mandate with a mission to prepare a fair referendum after verifying who are legitimate residents, and so on. We could postpone this for 20 years.”
Sikorski argued that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s deep personal interest in Crimea could justify holding a referendum on the peninsula’s future, even two decades after its annexation by Russia. He expressed these views during an informal evening conversation at the conference, as originally reported by Interfax-Ukraine.
Furthermore, Sikorski criticized Western nations, particularly the United States, for advising Ukraine not to resist the Russian takeover of Crimea in 2014. He considered this a major error in strategy.
The YES meeting, titled “The Need to Win,” took place in Kyiv starting on September 13. The event brought together over 700 participants, including prominent politicians, diplomats, business leaders, Ukrainian military personnel, veterans, civil society activists, and experts from more than 30 countries. It was organized in partnership with the Victor Pinchuk Foundation.
