YALTA, March 16. /TASS/. Ukraine is more likely to reunite with Russia than to have Crimea back, member of the Russian State Duma (lower house of parliament) and former Prosecutor of Crimea Natalya Poklonskaya told reporters in the Crimean city of Yalta.
"It [Crimea’s return to Ukraine] is just impossible," she said when asked if Crimea could ever be returned to Ukraine. "It is more likely that Ukraine reunites with Russia," Poklonskaya added.
At the same time, the lawmaker said that Ukraine was "Russian." "Ukraine is Russian… It will be possible for Ukraine to revitalize traditions and boost culture only if it truly becomes part of Russia again, as it used to be. We are one country and one people," she pointed out.
Poklonskaya also said that Ukraine should not rely on its western partners as far as development issues were concerned.
"No western partners need Ukraine with its traditions, culture and language. They don’t care a bit about Ukraine’s concerns, its traditions, songs and language. But we do care. We are one people… This is why we have been evolving together and we will prosper together to spite enemies," Poklonskaya said.
Crimea issue
After Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich was ousted in a coup in February 2014, mass protests began in Crimea and eastern Ukraine. On March 11, 2014, Crimea’s Supreme Council and Sevastopol City Council adopted a declaration of independence.
On March 16, 2014, a referendum on reuniting with Russia was conducted. Over 80% of voters participated in the plebiscite, most of them supporting the idea (96.7% in Crimea and 95.6% in the city of Sevastopol).
On March 18, 2014, a treaty on Crimea’s reunification with Russia was signed by President Vladimir Putin, Russia’s Federal Assembly (parliament) approved the document on March 21.