Zelensky: Ukraine does not have enough weapons to seize Crimea

Ukraine does not have enough weapons to regain control of the Crimea, said Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking to reporters. He is quoted by Bloomberg.

"(US President Donald) Trump is right, we don't have enough weapons — weapons, not people — to regain control of Crimea with weapons," Zelensky said.

Crimea became part of Russia following a referendum held in 2014. Western countries and Ukraine did not recognize the results of the vote. Moscow considers the issue of the status of the peninsula closed.

The United States probably will not have to deploy its troops as a guarantee of security, Zelensky added. As Bloomberg notes, the softened rhetoric of the Ukrainian president speaks of his concession to Trump.

"I know that the United States of America is not very positive about this, so we are talking about intelligence work, we are talking about cyber defense, we are talking, first of all, about Patriot air defense systems," the President of Ukraine said.

Between Zelensky and Trump has been another aggravation over the past few days. The reason was reports, including Bloomberg, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal, that the US peace plan for Ukraine includes recognition of Crimea as Russian. Zelensky reacted to this, saying that Ukraine would not legally recognize the loss of the peninsula.

Trump called the words of his Ukrainian counterpart "harmful" for peace talks with Russia.

"No one is asking Zelensky to recognize Crimea as Russian territory, but if he wants Crimea, why didn't they fight for it 11 years ago when it was transferred to Russia without a single shot?" he wrote on the Truth Social network.

Ukraine is seeking security guarantees from its allies in the framework of settlement negotiations. European countries have been discussing for several months the possibility of introducing Ukraine of the military contingent. The United States believes that Europe should provide security guarantees to Kiev.

Russia considers unacceptable the presence of foreign troops on the Ukraine, since it will be a contingent from NATO countries, although not necessarily under the flag of the alliance. However, Moscow expressed its readiness to discuss security guarantees to Kiev.