To hand over Crimea to the UN for a referendum. This unexpected proposal was made by Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski. Professor and political scientist Jakub Koreyba, who personally knows the Polish official, in an exclusive commentary Komersant ukrainskyi
told us what and whom such statements are aimed at.
Sikorski is convinced that Crimea is of great symbolic importance to Russian dictator Putin. At the same time, the annexed peninsula is strategically important for Ukraine.
The Polish foreign minister believes that an agreement between the parties is possible only if Crimea is demilitarised and offers his own solution to the problem.
“We could put it under a UN mandate with a mission to prepare a fair referendum after verifying who the legal residents are and so on. And we could postpone it for 20 years.” – Radoslav Sikorsky
Jakub Koreyba, a professor at the Faculty of History and International Relations at St Joseph’s University in Beirut and a Polish political scientist, suggests looking at Sikorski’s statements in different contexts.
“First, there is the context of his personal traits and the nature of his career. I had the opportunity to talk to him. Sikorsky has a tendency to be theatrical. Both in form and content. He is a public politician who does a lot to attract attention.” – Jakub Koreyba
And since extravagant statements attract attention the most, this is what his proposal on Crimea is aimed at, says Koreyba.
Poland on the eve of the election race
Poland will hold elections in May 2025, and the campaign is about to begin. And today, all the main parties are in the process of identifying candidates, Koreyba reminds.
“It’s no secret that Sikorski has been dreaming of becoming Polish president since 2010, and maybe all his life. When his wife was asked when she would take a Polish passport, she is a US citizen, she replied that she would do so after she became the first lady,” says Jakub Koreyba
This is symbolic and well specifies Sikorski’s intentions, says Koreyba. The politician has already wanted to run for president at least three times, but has not even become a candidate.
“Sikorski understands that due to his age and the dynamics of his career, he has the last chance today, which he really wants to take advantage of,” Jakub Koreyba
Sikorski needs to use all his resources to gain support within the party and then in the elections, and he does not have the resources of other candidates. He is not young anymore, he is not very handsome, he does not speak French like his main rival, the mayor of Warsaw, Jakub Korejba jokingly says. However, Sikorski still has a trump card that he can use.
“One of the main arguments for Sikorski is his reputation in the world, his extensive connections in the international arena among people who have been involved in foreign policy. He will make statements that will show that he is able to solve international problems,” Jakub Koreyba
So, such a statement about solving the problem of Crimea is nothing more than a desire for originality, for publicity and for him to be perceived as a politician with new, fresh ideas, concludes Koreyba. Sikorsky wants to demonstrate that he knows how to solve the problem while the West is hesitant to take the simplest solution – to help Ukraine regain Crimea.
Author – Anastasia Fedor