On December 1, 2021, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky announced his intention to return Crimea. Moscow views his statement as a direct threat to the Russian Federation, as well as an encroachment on the Russian region.
According to Putin's official spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Moscow was analyzing Zelensky's Russia-related statements that he made during his speech in the Ukrainian Parliament on December 1.
Speaking before the parliament, the Ukrainian president said that the return of Crimea should be Ukraine's central philosophy and goal. Peskov noted that Moscow saw those remarks as a direct threat to Russia.
"Such a wording means that the Kiev regime intends to use all available possibilities, including force, to encroach on the Russian region. This is how we tend to perceive it," Peskov said.
By not fulfilling the Minsk agreements, Ukraine makes negotiations with Russia impossible, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also said, TASS reports.
At the same time, Peskov stressed out the need for negotiations to stop the war in Donbass.
According to him, Ukraine does not fulfill the Paris and other agreements. In addition, Ukraine implements various anti-Russian laws, such as, for example, the law on the Russian language, temporary political structure and others, Peskov added.
Noteworthy, Renat Kuzmin, a Verkhovna Rada deputy from Opposition Platform — For Life Party, called Ukrainian President Zelenskiy pathetic.
"In short, the president was pathetic in his attempts to play the role of the ruler. Bad game. Not his part. Not his place. Failure. A shame. Oblivion," Kuzmin wrote on Facebook, commenting on Zelensky's press conference.
On November 27, Zelensky held a press conference, in which he answered journalists' questions regarding the Ukrainian statehood. While talking to the press, Zelensky made a number of high-profile statements. In particular, he spoke about the attempted coup d'etat in Ukraine. Politicians and journalists were unhappy with his speech. Some even compared it with a standup comedy act.