“For Russia, the loss of Sevastopol, which was always not Ukrainian in history, would be such a comedown that the cohesion of the state would be in danger. And I think that’s not desirable for the world after Ukraine,” Kissinger said in an interview with Wall Street Journal published on Friday, according to TASS.
The senior American political figure added that following the conflict, Ukraine should join NATO. “I’m in the ironical position that I was alone when I opposed membership, and I’m nearly alone when I advocate NATO membership,” he noted.
On May 27, Kissinger is celebrating his centennial. He is the only official in US history to have served as both secretary of state and presidential national security adviser. He is considered to be the patriarch of US diplomacy, guided by his pragmatism in foreign policy matters as he played a key role in shaping Washington’s policy in the 1970s on a wide range of issues.
According to TASS, after the Western-backed February 2014 coup in Ukraine, Crimea and Sevastopol held a referendum, in which 96.7% of Crimeans and 95.6% of Sevastopol voters chose to secede from Ukraine and join Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the reunification deal on March 18, 2014, which the Federation Council (upper house of the Russian parliament) ratified on March 21, 2014. Despite the convincing results of the referendum, Kyiv has refused to recognize Crimea as part of Russia.
MNA/PR