Envoy says Ukraine may try to retake Crimea diplomatically

A former US ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor says if Ukraine succeeds in turning things in its favor on the battlefield, it then may try to retake Crimea diplomatically.

He was speaking amid the growing prospect of Ukrainian troops ramping up their counteroffensive in the coming spring and summer.

Taylor said, if the Ukrainians can push Russian troops out of most of Ukraine militarily, they then might be willing to sit down and negotiate how to take back Crimea “diplomatically”.

Taylor, however, stressed that Washington is not opposed to Ukraine relying on its military forces in its attempt to take back Crimea.

He said, while Washington calls on Ukraine not to use US-supplied weapons in Russia, that guidance doesn’t apply to Crimea, since it is not Russian territory.

Taylor said the chances that Russia uses nuclear weapons in Ukraine are “very low.” He added that there is no reason, either domestic or international, for Russia to use nuclear weapons. He said he doesn’t think President Vladimir Putin is “irrational.”

Taylor said the Ukrainians will never give up on any part of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, and stressed the need for the US and the EU to strength support for Ukraine.