The referendums in Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia were a complete farce and were organized with a weapon pointed to the head," said the KE spokesperson Anitta Hipper in Brussels today. U.S. Vice president J.D. Vance defended Witkoff against accusations of, among another things, repetition of cremlow narratives. "Steve Witkoff is simply a large guy who does an amazing job. People who criticize him are angry that he is successful where they have suffered defeat for 40 years," Vance noted.
The spokeswoman said these words at the EC conference, asked for a comment on the words that U.S. peculiar Envoy for the mediate East, Steve Witkoff, made in a weekend conversation with American writer Tucker Carlson.
According to Witkoff, the biggest problem with the end of Russia's war against Ukraine is Crimea and “the alleged 4 regions: Donetsk, Lugansk and 2 more (Christian and Zaporosian, annexed by Russia)” and readiness to recognise them as Russian territories.
There are (there) Russian-speaking (inhabitants). There were referendums in which the vast majority of people showed that they wanted to be under Russia. I think this is simply a key issue of this conflict.
“ He said.
EC position
Referenda in 4 Ukrainian circuits was organised in September 2022 in an illegal manner – the local residents were de facto forced to participate in the voting and their results, in the general opinion of independent observers, were falsified.
Hipper besides said that erstwhile it comes to the discussion on peace talks, the EC position is "very clear".
Firstly, (...) Ukraine decides on the real conditions, and secondly, nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine. In the face of Russia's continued attacks, we see that she cannot be trusted. On the weekend, 3 people were killed in attacks on Ukraine, including Kiev, including a five-year-old child. This shows that Russia inactive needs to show its actual political will to end its illegal and unprovoked aggression
“The talker added.
Vance defends Witkoff
J.D. Vance defended Witkoff against accusations of, among another things, repetition of Kremlowian narratives.
Steve Witkoff is simply a large guy who does an amazing job. People who criticize him are angry that he is successful where they have suffered defeat for 40 years
— wrote Vance on platform X.
It turns out that much of diplomacy comes down to simple skills: don't be an idiot
“He added.
Vance spoke in defence of 1 of the participants in talks with Russia, formally a peculiar U.S. mediate east envoy, after criticizing his interview with publicist Tucker Carlson.
Witkoff claimed in it that he did not consider Vladimir Putin to be a "bad guest", he seemed to legitimize the fictional referendums conducted in Russia's annexed circuits, claiming that "the overwhelming majority of the inhabitants of these regions expressed their desire to stay under Russia." He besides commented on his conversation with Putin, in which the Russian leader told him that he had prayed for Donald Trump after the assassination of his life. He besides claimed that Russia does not want to take over all Ukraine, nor does it intend to attack NATO.
The Wave of Criticism
In a later Sunday interview on tv Fox Witkoff partially withdrew from his statements suggesting the legitimacy of annexation of Ukrainian territories. He simply said that Russia claims rights to them, and he does not stand on either side, but reiterates that he does not respect Putin as a bad man, claiming that the conflict is not “black and white”. He besides re-evaluated that Putin has no ambition to take control of the remainder of Ukraine or attack Europe.
I just don't see him trying to take over Europe... I believe him in that sense, and I believe that Europeans are besides starting to believe that
“He said.
The speeches of the main associate in the negotiations with Russia drew a wave of criticism on him in both America and Europe. Commentators, besides conservatives, accused Witkoff of naivety, deficiency of knowledge, and repetition of the cremlin narratives. Conservative publicist Marc Thiessen estimated on platform X that Witkoff was completely unprepared for his role.
He's dealing with a KGB master in intellectual operations who's playing him like a cat with a mouse.
“ He wrote.
His opinion was supported, among others, by Republican Congressman Don Bacon of Nebraska. The Fox News publisher Brit Hume criticized Witkoff in turn for his relativization of Putin's crimes and aggression and the claim that "each communicative has 2 sides".
Putin is simply a tyrant, and his political opponents are frequently defenetrated (throwed through windows). I wonder what this wizard thinks the another side of the story.
“ Hume said.
The statements of Trump's envoy besides criticized the "Wall Street Journal", erstwhile head of the Lithuanian MFA Gabrielius Landsbergis, erstwhile American diplomats, and the Institute for the survey of War (ISW) said that Witkoff "uncritically repeated respective false Russian claims regarding the position of Ukrainian territories that Russia illegally occupies".
Witkoff, who, like Trump, comes from fresh York City and the real property industry, has been a friend of the president for many years. Although originally appointed as an emissary for the mediate East, he besides took a key function in the negotiations on the war in Ukraine, gathering twice with Russian president Vladimir Putin.
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